Injury fears rock Leopards and K’Ogalo
Kenya’s representatives at two continental club championships Gor Mahia and AFC are in a tight corner after some of their key players suffered injuries.
Ingwe are working round the clock to get last season’s best striker, Allan Wanga, fit for their Confederations Cup tie against Ethiopia’s Defense.
Their new acquisition from KCB, Jacob Keli, would have used Wanga’s absence to make his case but was also injured during the Mapinduzi Cup in Tanzania. This leaves Ingwe with Noah Wafula and Paul Were as the only and tested strikers.
Defenders Jackson Saleh and Anthony Modo Kimani are also out. Joseph Shikokoti who will be under pressure to hold the backline, assisted by James Situma and Abdalla Juma.
On the other hand, Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions Gor Mahia may be without two key attackers – Joseph Timonah Wanyonyi and winger Kevin Omondi. The 17-year-old Wanyonyi was injured during Gor’s 1-1 draw with Nairobi Provincial League side Nakumatt FC, but could be back in time for the second leg if he gets the green light.
Omondi injured his ankle during the Kenya Power Charity match against Sofapaka when Gor fell 1-3 to the 2009 KPL champions. Whether Omondi passes the fitness test will be known by the end of business today.
Gor may take comfort in having key layers such as Shaban Kenga, Patrick Oboya and Dan Onyango, but Omondi has proven to be the game changer. He is the man for the job when all other forms of attack fail.
Kenyans will forget their allegiances as the rival clubs carry our flag starting this weekend. Gor are targeting a win against Esperance in the second round. Should they make it past the North Africans, they’ll earn close to Sh10m from the Confederation of African Football for their remaining ties.