Gor Mahia Coach Charles Akonnor has expressed strong confidence that his side will bounce back with an improved performance ahead of their 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup clash against Rwandan giants APR on Friday.
Speaking during the pre-match press conference on Thursday evening, Akonnor addressed the team’s recent friendly defeat to Rayon Sports, framing it as a learning experience rather than a setback.
“We had a match with Rayon Sports, we lost, which was okay,” Akonnor stated calmly. “What happened last time against Rayon was individual mistakes that we made defensively. We are aware of that, we’ve been able to talk about it, and our video analyst has gone through it with the players telling them exactly what we did wrong.”
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Gor Mahia coach Charles Akonnor targets CECAFA Kagame Cup response against APR
Akonnor emphasized that while their opponents started their training camp much earlier, his team will offer no excuses.
However, he urged patience from the fans, noting that K’Ogalo is only in its second week of preseason training, meaning the squad is not yet at full peak fitness.
“We believe tomorrow will be an improved game from us. Tactically, we will be better than we were against Rayon Sports,” the Ghanaian tactician promised.
The head coach views the regional tournament as a crucial building block for Gor Mahia’s upcoming continental campaign.
“The idea of what we want to do in the Champions League,these are things that can improve us and make us a better side,” Akonnor explained.
He further revealed that while they made sweeping rotations in their first friendly match, they will take a more measured approach against APR, though ensuring the new signings and the rest of the traveling squad eventually get a fair opportunity to showcase their talent.
“This tournament is very good for us because it gives us a fair idea of the players we have, what they can do, and how they can improve the team,” Akonnor added, calling on the Kenyan fans in Rwanda to turn out in large numbers to support the team.
Gor Mahia will kick off their campaign on Friday evening as they face home-favorites APR in their opening fixture of the CECAFA Kagame Cup before they turn their focus towards an encounter against Ugandan champions Vipers SC.