Gor Mahia’s first choice keeper Boniface Oluoch has been left out of Sunday’s Caf Confederations Cup clash away to Algeria’s NA Hussein Dey with an injury as well as excluded from the travelling party.
The selected team members depart for Algiers on Friday evening ahead of this high-stake clash at the Stade du 20 Aout 1955.
Oluoch injured his thigh when he rushed out of his goalmouth to smoother an impending danger during his team’s 1-0 win over Tusker in Machakos on Wednesday.
That incident, which saw him collide with Tusker’s David Juma, also earned him a red card as match referee Carolina Wanjala ruled he’d handled the ball outside his D-area.
“He is one of our dependable players and I’m hoping he recovers so that I book him a ticket to join up with the team in Alexandria,” said Gor chairman Ambrose Rachier.
Rachier also said that the contingent will head direct to Alexandria from Algiers next Tuesday ahead of next weekend’s clash with Zamalek.
“It is much easier and logistically better to head straight to Egypt from Algeria rather than coming back home as these two matches will be played in a span of six days. The best scenario is for us to qualify for the tournament’s quarter-finals after these two matches,” he said.
Hosts Hussein Dey will also be without injured captain Ahmed Gasmi who suffered a double fracture to the cheekbone and sinus during his side’s 2-0 loss to Gor Mahia at Kasarani.
Gor Mahia will go into the match on top of Group ‘D’ with six points from three matches, two more than the Algerian club, who are ahead of Angola’s Petro Atletico on goal difference. Zamalek are bottom of the group with two points.