Charles Akonnor Reveals How Gor Mahia Plan to Overturn Pyramids FC Deficit in Return Leg

Gor Mahia head coach Charles Akonnor has urged his players to stay focused, confident, and tactically disciplined as the Kenyan champions prepare to face Egyptian powerhouse Pyramids FC in the decisive second leg of their CAF Champions League preliminary-round clash.

K'Ogalo enter the return leg at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo needing to overturn a two-goal deficit following a 2-0 defeat in the opening fixture at Nyayo National Stadium.

Despite the steep hill left to climb, the Ghanaian tactician remains confident that his side can pull off a dramatic turnaround if they eliminate defensive mistakes and exert maximum control in midfield.

Heading into the Cairo trip, Charles Akonnor expressed satisfaction with the team's intensive training sessions.

He revealed that the technical bench focused heavily on correcting the defensive lapses and positional breakdowns that proved costly during the opening leg in Nairobi.

Highlighting the squad's response during their final tactical drills before departure, Akonnor praised the commitment shown by his players:

"Well, training has been very good, very, very impressive, especially yesterday. We saw the seriousness of these boys and the correction we've made, the things we want to do in the return leg, put into practice, and it was very, very exciting and encouraging," he said.

Reflecting on Pyramids FC's structural setup, Charles Akonnor acknowledged the tactical intelligence and attacking movement of the reigning African champions.

However, drawing inspiration from Gor Mahia's improved second-half performance in Nairobi, where the introduction of fresh midfield legs pinned Pyramids back, the head coach believes his team now has a clear blueprint to punish the Egyptian hosts.

"Well, it's almost the same thing. I mean, they're a team that, if you allow them to play very smart, they can outsmart you in a lot of areas. How the movement of the players, of the attacking line and going. It's also about our intelligence and how ready we are,” he said.

“But they're a good side (Pyramids FC), and we know we've told them that the least mistake or the least mistake you make, you can be punished. But we are very encouraged, especially after what we did in the second half. We've dwelled a lot on that to encourage the boys and also to believe in themselves."

The outcome of Sunday's high-stakes clash will ultimately hinge on Gor Mahia's mental fortitude and tactical execution.

Akonnor emphasised that controlling the engine room through coordinated pressing and sharp counter-pressing will be vital to keeping Pyramids at bay while creating goal-scoring opportunities on the break.

"It's all about the determination of the players and their mindset and how ready they are. Hopefully this time around there will be fewer mistakes, and we'll do well in terms of how we control the midfield in terms of the pressing, counter-press and all those things. If we do those things very well, there's always a chance for us."