Rulani Mokwena Reserves Special Praise for Harambee Stars Defender as He Delivers Verdict on Gor Mahia

Pyramids FC head coach Rulani Mokwena offered rich praise to Kenyan champions Gor Mahia following their CAF Champions League preliminary-round first-leg battle at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday, September 6.

Despite guiding the Egyptian giants to a 2-0 away victory, the South African tactician was quick to highlight the tactical quality, physical resilience, and key individual profiles that make Gor Mahia a formidable force on the continental stage.

Pyramids FC capitalised on key moments, with Walid El Karti opening the scoring early in the fifth minute before Mahmoud Saber doubled the lead just before halftime.

However, Mokwena refused to let the scoreline obscure the high quality of the encounter, pointing out that Gor Mahia pushed his side to their absolute limits in front of a passionate home crowd.

Rulani Mokwena commended the electric atmosphere inside Nyayo National Stadium and emphasised the immense preparation required by his technical team to break down Gor Mahia's structure.

The Pyramids boss noted that navigating a tough away fixture in Nairobi required exhaustive video analysis and tactical scouting behind the scenes, paying tribute to everyone at the Egyptian club for executing the match plan efficiently:

"Yeah, very good game. Two good teams. In a very good environment. The fans were good, I thought. They pushed their team. They tried to push Gor Mahia at some moments. And they needed that,” Rulani Mokwena said.

“But...congratulations to our club, everybody at the club, from the management to the players, also to the technical staff, because we work very, very hard behind the scenes, you know, to find information and to analyse the opposition. And I thought the staff, and of course the players, did a very good job today. So congratulations to everyone at the club."

Digging deeper into the tactical battle, Rulani Mokwena revealed what impressed him most about Gor Mahia’s setup, particularly their structural strength, aggressive wide play, and physical midfield engine room

The former Mamelodi Sundowns manager admitted he had anticipated a slightly different lineup from Gor Mahia, but acknowledged that their tactical setup demonstrated exactly why they hold the title of FKF Premier League champions.

"They're a good side; they've got good players. Okay, I was surprised that Lesley [Otieno] started in the midfield, to be honest. I thought maybe [Enock] Machaka would start as a number 10. But okay, with [Alpha] Onyango already there, with the physicality and a three-man midfield and a very aggressive wing player, a very good team. That's why they are Kenyan champions, no? Good players, good team," he said.

Among individual performances, Mokwena singled out Gor Mahia centre-back Frank Odhiambo for special praise.

The defender’s composure under pressure and elite ball progression were central to Gor Mahia’s second-half resurgence, where K'Ogalo pinned Pyramids back for long stretches.

Highlighting Odhiambo's vital role in connecting Gor Mahia’s defensive line with their central midfield unit, Mokwena singled out the defender's physical and technical profile:

"Very stable centre-backs. [Frank] Odhiambo is very, very good, strong. Brings the ball out from the back well and connects with the two midfielders very, very well," he added.

While Pyramids FC carry a comfortable two-goal cushion into the return leg scheduled for Sunday, September 13 at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo, Mokwena's glowing assessment serves as a clear warning against complacency.