Former Gor Mahia coach Bob Oyugi remains optimistic about the club’s chances of overcoming a 3-0 deficit against Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the CAF Champions League. Despite the heavy loss in the first leg at Nairobi’s Nyayo Stadium, Oyugi believes the Kenyan champions have the quality and mentality to overturn the result in the return leg in Cairo.
Gor Mahia’s prospects of reaching the group stage took a significant hit after Al Ahly, the reigning African champions, secured a commanding victory.
The Egyptian side took control of the match early on, with Ramy Rabia opening the scoring in the 14th minute, followed by a brace from South African forward Percy Tau in the 15th and 73rd minutes.
The Kenyan side started the match brightly but failed to capitalize on two early chances.
Al Ahly responded swiftly, punishing Gor Mahia with Rabia’s opener after a cross from Tau, and within a minute, Tau doubled the lead, taking advantage of a defensive lapse to slot the ball past goalkeeper Kevin Omondi.
From that point, Al Ahly dominated proceedings, continuing to push for more goals. Gor Mahia were fortunate to go into the half-time break trailing only 2-0.
In the second half, Al Ahly maintained their pressure, eventually netting a third goal through Tau, effectively extinguishing Gor Mahia’s hopes of a comeback.
The Egyptian side’s performance underscored their status as 12-time CAF Champions League winners.
Despite the uphill task, Oyugi, who led Gor Mahia to the Premier League title in 1993, insists that the team can still achieve a miraculous turnaround.
“They can still turn the tables; yes, it is possible.
This situation happens all over the world,” Oyugi told SportsBoom.com.
“Gor Mahia players are highly technical and creative.
They only need to change their mentality.
The coach and officials should ensure that the players are in their proper mental state.”
Drawing on past experiences, Oyugi recalled a similar scenario from 1993 when Gor Mahia faced South Africa’s Hellenic FC in the Confederation Cup second round.
Despite being underdogs, Gor Mahia overcame a 3-1 defeat in Cape Town by winning 2-0 in Nairobi to qualify.
“So, what makes you think that Gor Mahia cannot do the same, go to Egypt and get a positive result? It is football, and we must accept that football dynamics have changed in recent years. Everything is possible,” Oyugi said.
He further dismissed the notion that African champions are invincible.
“What is the African champions? Who said that African champions are not supposed to lose a game?” he questioned.
Oyugi emphasized that Kenyan teams must change their mindset when facing North African opponents, arguing that the key lies in overcoming the mental inferiority that often plagues them against Arab teams.
“Football is a mannerless game, and all is possible.
If they [Al Ahly] can score three goals here, then Gor Mahia can comfortably score three goals in Cairo,” Oyugi asserted.
The return leg in Cairo presents Gor Mahia with a daunting challenge, but Oyugi’s confidence in the team’s potential serves as a rallying call for the Kenyan champions as they prepare to defy the odds.
