Charles Akonnor Reveals How Gor Mahia Plan to Silence Al Hilal and Reach CECAFA Kagame Cup Final

Gor Mahia head coach Charles Akonnor has outlined how K'Ogalo intend to overcome Sudanese giants Al Hilal when the two sides clash in the semi-finals of the CECAFA Kagame Cup.

Gor Mahia began their campaign in emphatic fashion, thrashing Rwanda's APR FC 5-0 in their Group A opener before suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Ugandan champions Vipers SC in their second match.

They responded strongly in their final group fixture, overcoming the dismissal of Alpha Chris Onyango to grind out a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Garde Républicaine. The win secured top spot in Group A with six points and booked their place in the last four against Al Hilal.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Charles Akonnor acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge awaiting Gor Mahia, describing Al Hilal as one of the continent's most respected clubs with a rich football pedigree.

Despite the quality of the Sudanese outfit, the Ghanaian tactician expressed confidence in his players' ability to rise to the occasion, insisting the team remains focused on executing its game plan and taking another step towards silverware.

Akonnor said reaching the final has always been Gor Mahia's objective and stressed that his players are fully aware of what is at stake.

He added that the squad is drawing motivation from the club's proud history and winning tradition, while also counting on the unwavering backing of the K'Ogalo faithful, whether they are in the stadium or supporting from afar.

"Tomorrow's match again, we see an opponent who is well known as far as African soccer is concerned, and we carry a lot of respect for them. But we are K'Ogalo, and the spirit of K'Ogalo walks behind us,” Charles Akonnor in a video shared by Dollar TV.

“We believe that we have a very big chance to do well and improve in our game and also to get to the finals. Our target is to get to the finals. We believe that with a lot of support from our fans and everything, we will get there. Whether they are here or not, they are watching us critically, and we believe with the spirit behind us.

Charles Akonnor further admitted that Al Hilal possess plenty of quality but pointed out that, like any other team, they have areas that can be exploited.

The Gor Mahia coach revealed that his technical bench has closely analysed their opponents and identified opportunities they hope to capitalise on during the semi-final.

He also anticipates a different approach from the Sudanese side following their previous result, noting that Gor Mahia has prepared for various tactical scenarios.

Akonnor expressed confidence in his squad's strengths, saying the players understand how to disrupt Al Hilal's rhythm and prevent them from playing to their full potential.

While acknowledging that football can be unpredictable over 90 minutes, he emphasised that sticking to the team's preparations, tactical discipline and game plan will give K'Ogalo the best chance of securing victory and advancing to the final.

"The fact that they're a good team, they also have sort of weaknesses, and we've seen that…we know that their approach in the next match will be different because they lost. They didn't do well, but we as a team are prepared. We know our strength,” Charles Akonnor said.

“We know what we can do to distract them from functioning very well in the game. It's a 90-minute game, and a lot of things can happen, but if your focus is on your preparation and the things you've done, you seem to then go forward and do well and even carry the day. That is what our focus has been on."