Aduda says besieged Gor will pass CAF test

Gor Mahia Cheif Executive Officer (CEO) Lordvick Aduda was a man of mixed reactions despite Kenya’s glamour club’s recognition as the second best team for the year 2018, at the SOYA Gala in Mombasa on Friday.

Aduda, reflected on the 2018 calendar with a sense of satisfaction, observing Gor fought unreservedly both on the local and international scenes, but lamented negligence by Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and malice by CAF has limited their success.

According to Aduda, Gor has a lot to do but the trend of hostility the club has been exposed to especially in the continental competitions cannot be ignored anymore.

Gor face Cameroon’s New Star de Douala on Sunday at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani without influential centre backs Harun Shakava and Joash Onyango who CAF suspended on what Aduda calls telling bias.

Shakava, the captain, and Onyango, the no nonsense Harambee Stars defender, were shut out of the important duel after controversial incidences during their return match against Nigeria’s Lobi Stars the CAF Champions League in Enugu, December 2018.

“Football won today, congratulations to Harambee Stars and Gor Mahia Football Club. However, we must ask to what levels should we have gone had we struck right in some of the obvious things.

“We always have federation representatives to observe these matches, but they appear to be doing a job they don’t know. At that level Gor is representing the country, and lodging a complaint depends with the action of the federation delegate. We have always been on the receiving end, with funny decisions that CAF makes against us, never to be challenged,” regretted Aduda.

The CEO recalled with evident pain events at the Races Stadium, Tunis in 2018 during the return match against champions Esperance, where Gor delegation was allegedly harassed from touching down in the Tunisia capital to the match venue by the hosts.

To the extent of players being roughed up by police, club officials with technical bench members storming the pitch, Aduda underscored the messy events went unchallenged before CAF as Gor crashed out agonizingly after sinking ”totally unfairly” 1-0.

“What we saw in Tunisia was unbelievable, continental football experience relegated to village like drama. It is regrettable the foul play, that we are seeing even this season has not perturbed our federation representatives. For example, why should the suspension of our two players come much later, just days before our Douala match?”

Shakava is said to have queried the alleged unfairness after the Lobi Stars match, only to be answered with a punch that he could not help retaliating. His teammate Onyango is suspended for a reported abusive language.

In the match, six Gor players were booked and risk missing the Douala rematch in case of more yellow cards on Sunday.

‘we shall conquer’

However, Aduda has maintained albeit all the ”artificial” troubles, Gor will floor unfamiliar Douala in Nairobi to make the return leg an easy deal.

“At the height of all the unfairness we can never advise our players to boycott matches. We have instead learnt an important principle, that winning at home, convincingly is the deal in continental duties. Whatever happens away will have less impact.

“That is what we aim to do come Sunday and our faithful fans should come in numbers knowing we shall conquer as we are,” charged the experienced football administrator.

Pascal Ogweno and Charles Momanyi are expected to fill Shakava’s and Onyango’s gaps, as Gor seek to cruise into the CAF Cup group stage for the second time in a row.

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Gor Mahia FC FKF CAF Lordvick Aduda

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