CAF Champions League: Rulani Mokwena Insists Pyramids FC Have No Advantage Ahead of Facing Gor Mahia

Pyramids FC head coach Rulani Mokwena has rejected suggestions that his side holds any upper hand ahead of their 2026/27 CAF Champions League opening clash against Gor Mahia at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday, September 6.

The South African tactician praised Gor Mahia’s roster quality, competitive sharpness, and recent transfer market moves, emphasising that Gor Mahia enter the fixture in prime physical and psychological condition.

Addressing the threat posed by Charles Akonnor’s side, Mokwena singled out several key Gor Mahia figures, highlighting their tactical influence and physical presence across the pitch.

"They've already got a very good squad, you know, with [Alpha] Onyango in the midfield, his physicality, strong in the duels, strong with the pass. Frank Odhiambo in centre-back. [Shariff] Musa up front; he can play on the left, can play on the right, can play sometimes as a 10 and second striker," he said.

Rulani Mokwena pointed to Gor Mahia’s recent pre-season fixtures as proof of their readiness, noting that K'Ogalo arrive battle-tested following their run to the CECAFA Kagame Cup final.

In the group stage, Gor Mahia made a statement by dismantling Rwandan powerhouse APR FC 5-0 in their opening match. Despite a minor 1-0 setback against Uganda’s Vipers SC, they sealed top spot in Group A with a disciplined 1-0 victory over Garde Républicaine of Djibouti.

In the semi-finals, Gor Mahia demonstrated resilience against Sudanese giants Al Hilal SC, battling to a 1-1 draw after extra time before holding their nerve in a dramatic 8-7 penalty shootout victory.

Though they narrowly fell 2-1 to hosts Rayon Sports in the final in Kigali, Rulani Mokwena stressed that the tournament provided K'Ogalo with invaluable big-game preparation.

"And they've had good competitive games. They've played in the Super Cup. We were privileged to see that game. They had the CECAFA tournament where they did very well. And to be honest, maybe their best performance was against Rayon Sport," he added.

“They had a very good, very, very good game against Al Hilal. So, yeah, they've had some good games, let's be honest. Even being in the final of the CECAFA Cup is competitive; also, from a psychological perspective, it's a cup final."

With Gor Mahia active in high-stakes matches and bolstering their ranks during the transfer window, Rulani Mokwena believes both teams start on equal footing.

"So they've had two cup finals. So, psychological stress, physical preparation, time to integrate the new players into the way the coach wants to play. I don't see any type of advantage that we have in that regard. They've made 11 new signings, a good coach with a good pedigree, especially in Ghanaian football," he said.