The Kenyan champions will be seeking to end a poor away run against a side that they hammered 4-2 at home in the opener. Gor Mahia will have to navigate their fifth Group D tie against Zamalek minus two key players. The Kenyan champions are in Cairo to face the Egyptian giants in a must-win Caf Confederation Cup match but coach Hassan Oktay will miss the services of striker Dennis Oliech (injury) and Ugandan defender Shafik Batambuze (ban).
Gor Mahia coach Hassan Oktay has confirmed of the latest development. “Dennis (Oliech) is got a big knock while Batambuze will not play,” Oktay said in an interview from Cairo. Batambuze was among the five K’Ogalo players, who were booked during their 1-0 defeat to Hussein Dey in Algeria. The defeat at the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 Stadium, saw Gor Mahia lose their spot at the summit of the Group while Zamalek’s identical 1-0 away win over Petro Atletico of Angola, threw the group’s qualification for the quarter-finals wide open with two matches to go.
Oktay insists that they still have a chance to make things right against Zamalek. “We have another huge task ahead of us and I have asked my players to remain focused. We had a chance to get a win or at least a draw in Algeria but it never worked out. “We want to remain focused and try to get something from Zamalek. They are a good side and will be oozing with confidence having won their last match in the group, coupled with the fact that they are playing at home.”The top two teams in the group will progress to the next round.