Gor Mahia Coach Charles Akonnor Makes Urgent Plea to CECAFA Ahead of Kagame Cup Semi-Finals

Gor Mahia head coach Charles Akonnor has made a passionate appeal to CECAFA and the tournament organisers ahead of his side's 2026 Kagame Cup semi-final clash.

K'Ogalo began their Kagame Cup campaign in emphatic fashion, thrashing APR FC 5-0 before suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Uganda's Vipers SC in their second Group A fixture.

The Kenyan champions responded strongly by edging Garde Républicaine 1-0 in their final group match, a result that saw them finish top of Group A on goal difference and book their place in the semi-finals.

Speaking after the match, Charles Akonnor admitted Gor Mahia were made to work hard for their place in the semi-finals, describing the clash against Garde Républicaine as a demanding contest that required discipline and concentration from his players.

The Ghanaian tactician explained that the technical bench had warned the squad against underestimating their opponents, noting that complacency could easily have cost them qualification.

He praised his players for maintaining their tactical discipline throughout the match and controlling possession for long spells, a strategy he believes helped them manage the game effectively.

Akonnor revealed that scoring early gave Gor Mahia the perfect platform to push for more goals, especially with the group standings likely to be decided by goal difference.

However, he acknowledged that despite creating opportunities, his side could not add to their tally. Even so, he expressed satisfaction with the narrow victory, saying the most important objective was securing qualification to the last four.

“It was a very difficult match. Somehow, if you underrate such an opponent, you can find yourself in trouble. Our boys didn't do that. We were disciplined. We tried to keep the ball in a certain way. We got an early goal, and I thought that it was a big chance for us to go for more goals,” Charles Akonnor said.

“Looking at the circumstances in which we were, it's said that we have to score more goals based on how our opponent, our group, will play. But thank God we won 1-0. And I think it has favoured us. We are very happy that we're moving to the next stage.”

Further, Charles Akonnor urged CECAFA and the tournament organisers to consider staging the Kagame Cup semi-finals on a natural grass surface, arguing that it would better protect the welfare of the players.

The Gor Mahia coach expressed concern over the condition of the current playing surface, revealing that his team had suffered injuries during the match, with one player sustaining what appeared to be a serious setback while another was also being assessed by the medical staff.

He suggested that the artificial turf may have contributed to those injuries and warned that continuing to play on the same surface could put more players at risk.

While careful not to criticise the organisers, Akonnor appealed to the relevant authorities to review the venue for the semi-finals. He stressed that his request was motivated purely by concern for player safety rather than any competitive advantage, maintaining that moving the remaining matches to a grass pitch would create a healthier and safer environment for all teams involved in the competition.

"I hope the semi-finals can be played on a natural grass pitch. I don't want to criticise the authorities or the organisers, but I don't think this surface is healthy for the players. Today, we suffered a major setback with one player picking up what looks like a serious injury, while another will need to be assessed. From my perspective, the playing surface may have contributed to those injuries," Charles Akonnor said.

"I'm not trying to tell the organisers what to do, but I would like to appeal to CECAFA to consider moving the semi-finals to a grass pitch. It would benefit all the teams because player safety should always come first. That's my sincere plea."