- Gor Mahia faces Al Hilal SC today (1600 Hrs) at Kigali Pelé Stadium, aiming to reach their first CECAFA Kagame Cup final since 2015 and contend for the $30,000 top prize.
- Gor Mahia will be severely depleted, missing five key players.
- The winner of this tie advances to the grand finale on Friday, August 7, at Amahoro Stadium, where they will face either Rayon Sport FC or Jamus SC.
Gor Mahia will face Al Hilal SC at the Kigali Pelé Stadium in Rwanda on Tuesday afternoon in the first semi-final clash, with kickoff scheduled for 1600 Hrs.
The fixture pits the Kenyan heavyweights against Sudan’s giants in a battle for a spot in the final and a chance at the $30,000 grand prize.
A victory for Gor Mahia is essential to reach their first CECAFA Kagame Cup final since 2015 and a strong statement of intent of reclaiming the title which they last won 41 years ago.
For K’Ogalo, it is also an opportunity to refine their tactical setup and build momentum ahead of their CAF Champions League preliminary campaigns next month.
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Gor Mahia, who topped Group A with six points, enter the match aiming to build on their momentum following a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Djibouti’s Garde Républicaine on Thursday.
This followed a rollercoaster group stage where they opened with a 5-0 demolition of APR FC before dropping points against Vipers SC.
Meanwhile, Al Hilal, the visitors for this tie, travel to the Pelé Stadium having qualified as the best second-placed team with 6 points, looking to bounce back after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Rayon Sport FC in their final Group C fixture.
Gor Mahia vs Al Hilal Team News
Gor Mahia will be without five players for this afternoon’s semi-final encounter. Captain Sylvester Owino, Patrick Essombe, and Samuel Kapen are all sidelined through injury, while Alpha Onyango serves a suspension after being sent off against Garde Républicaine.
New signing Denis Omedi is cup-tied, having already been registered by APR before completing his move to Gor Mahia.
The Sudanese side is boosted by the return of forward Emmanuel Flomo, who has fully recovered from a minor muscle strain sustained earlier, leaving the squad mostly clear of major physical setbacks.
What was said before the match
Charles Akonnor (Gor Mahia)
The Ghanaian tactician acknowledged the pedigree of their opponents while expressing total confidence in his squad’s ability despite the squad rotation and mounting injury list.
“We believe in ourselves as Gor Mahia and together with the support of our fans we are ready to carry the flag high,” Akonnor stated during the pre-match press conference, adding that his side respects Al Hilal as a strong force in African football.
Guy Bukasa (Al Hilal)
The Sudanese side’s head coach made it clear that his squad enters the clash focused entirely on securing a place in the showpiece event.
“We are in the semi-final and the target is to win. When you reach this stage of the competition, you have to fight to make the final,” Bukasa noted. “Gor Mahia deserve our respect. The tactical approach will be very important because both teams like to build from the goalkeepers.”
The winner of this clash will advance to face either home side Rayon Sport FC or South Sudan’s Jamus SC in the CECAFA Kagame Cup final. The grand finale is scheduled for Friday, August 7, 2026, at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali.