Gor Mahia will take on Petro Atletico in their final Group D match of the Caf Confederation Cup on Sunday.
As it stands, Egyptian side Zamalek leads the standings with eight points, one point more than Petro and Hussein Dey who are placed second and third respectively.
The Kenyan Premier League champions are bottom of the group with six points and need maximum points to progress to the quarterfinals.
Every team in the group has a chance of making it to the last eight, it will depend on the outcome of the final group match day. Zamalek needs just a draw to make it to the latter stage while other teams must collect maximum points to stand a chance of progressing to the last eight.
Last season, Gor Mahia failed to progress after falling to Rayon Sports at home and later away against USM Alger. In contrast to last season, Gor Mahia chance to progress squarely lies on their hands, and they can shape their destiny.
So what should K’Ogalo do to get a ticket to the next round?
Should be discplined at the back
Gor Mahia’s last group match will be a crucial test and captain Harun Shakava should be able to organize the back four well to ensure no opponent is unmarked in the danger zones and also avoid letting in easy goals.
Petro Atletico has had a good scoring record away from home. They have scored 11 goals in the last 10 away matches in Caf competitions.
The last time they failed to score in a Caf tie was in February 2018 when they drew 0-0 with Masters Security in Malawi. After that, they have scored an away goal in each of their last six matches on the road.
The Green Army should also avoid conceding free-kicks in dangerous areas as this has been exploited in the past with Gor Mahia conceding goals from these dead balls situations against Zamalek and Rayon Sports (last season).
Go for early goals
Gor Mahia have failed to get a first-half goal in the last five matches in all competitions. The last time they scored a first-half goal was in their 1-1 draw against Western Stima.
Since then, they have scored five goals all coming in the second period. This is a trend they should end in the match against Petro Atletico.
Should their opponents head to the final half without conceding they will have confidence and this may jeopardize Gor Mahia’s plans.
On the other hand, an early goal for the Hassan Oktay led charges will put the Angolans to pressure and chances of the Kenyan side bagging the second goal will be very high.
Start with the best eleven
The coach should start with his best players. A strong midfield will be key for Gor Mahia as they will be able to control the game easily.
Ernest Wendo can guarantee the back four some security as he has proven before that he can be relied on. The supply of balls upfront will also be vital for the side as they will need goals.
The coach will be hoping to have Kenneth Muguna fit for this task. Against Zamalek last weekend, Gor Mahia had low possession, made only 336 passes with a 64% accuracy, had four shots with none hitting the target.
This being a home match, they should strive to be dominant, sharp in front of goal and use effectively their best players like Francis Kahata, Jacques Tuyisenge and Dennis Oliech who rested in the 2-1 win over Kakamega Homeboyz.