Gor Mahia One Win Away From First Kagame Cup Final Since 2015
Gor Mahia will face Sudan’s Al Hilal in the Cecafa Kagame Cup semi-finals on Tuesday at Kigali Pele Stadium, with a place in the final at stake.
Kick-off is scheduled for 4pm Kenyan time, before Jamus Sports Club of South Sudan take on Rwanda’s Rayon Sports in the second semi-final later in the evening.
Kenya’s most successful club enter the match aiming to reach their first Cecafa Kagame Cup final since 2015 and end a 41-year wait for the regional title.
Gor Mahia last won the competition in the mid-1980s but have come close in recent years, finishing runners-up to Tanzania’s Azam FC in 2015. Gor Mahia have impressed during this year’s tournament. They secured a 5-0 victory over APR FC before beating Garde Republicaine to finish top of Group A and book their place in the semi-finals.
However, coach Charles Akonnor must manage without several key players. Winger Samuel Kapen, forward Patrick Essombe and captain Silvester Owino are all unavailable through injury. Their absence increases the responsibility on new signings Paul Okoth, Daniel Sakari and Ebenezer Ocran.
Al Hilal arrive in Kigali with strong continental experience and good form. The Sudanese club are regular competitors in the CAF Champions League and have reached the quarter-finals in each of the past two editions.
In the Kagame Cup, Al Hilal recorded convincing wins over Tusker FC and Kikosi Cha Valantia Zanzibar before losing narrowly to Rayon Sports. They progressed to the semi-finals as the best runners-up after finishing with a superior goal difference.
The Sudanese side also hold the advantage from the teams’ most recent meeting. They beat Gor Mahia 2-0 in July 2024.
The semi-final brings together two clubs with different ambitions. Gor Mahia are seeking to restore their standing in regional football despite missing several experienced players, while Al Hilal are aiming to win the Cecafa Kagame Cup for the first time.
The tournament will conclude on Friday at Amahoro Stadium, where the final and third-place play-off will be played. The winners will receive $30,000, with $20,000 awarded to the runners-up and $10,000 to the third-placed team.