Kerr rues Wendo absence for Confed rematch with SuperSport

Gor Mahia head coach Dylan Kerr has bemoaned the loss of midfielder Ernest Wendo for the return leg of the Caf- Confederation Cup against SuperSport United of South Africa.

Wendo is suspended for the high stakes clash and as such will play no role in the match having accumulated two yellow-cards in the competition.

K’Ogalo are aiming at sealing a historic slot into the group stages and need to avoid defeat in the return leg set for next week in Pretoria.

“He is a big loss to the team but we still have great players who have what it takes to fill in his shoes. We have a match against Wazito FC (on Wednesday) which we will use to see who is best placed to replace Wendo,” Kerr charged.

The Premier League champions hold a slender advantage of making it to the money-minting group stages having won 1-0 in the first leg played at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos on Sunday but will have to be at their best defensively and offensively if they are to pocket a staggering Sh. million which is in store for the winner.

He added: “We are playing against a very big side; one of the richest teams in Africa. They played in the Confederation final and lost. They won the Net Bank Challenge in 2016. They have the money .They also have a very experienced squad which has been together for almost three years.”

Kerr went on: “It’s like Gor going to England and playing Manchester City but my boys are ready to fight and make sure they are in the next stage of the competition. We are not motivated by the money but inspired by the fact that K’Ogalo belongs to the continental competition.”

K’Ogalo’s opponents are faced with a huge dilemma on which competition to give prominence with their fortunes in the domestic league, PSL, dwindling.

The Pretoria based side are third last on the league table, inching closer to relegation.

As Gor will be tackling Wazito FC in Nairobi on Wednesday, miles away, The Swanky Boys of South Africa will be battling high-flying Orlando Pirates in what should be a defining match.

After this assignment they’ll face off with Cape Town City at the weekend before crossing swords with K’Ogalo.

But even as the K’Ogalo nation cross their fingers hoping that their beloved club break into the money-minting group stage, the Briton who took the reins of the team last year has urged for caution.

“Success takes time. No coach has ever gone to a club and won a major competition in their first season therefore no one should expect miracles,” he said in a subtle reference to the mighty test that awaits them in the Rainbow nation.

“It’s the same Gor. I will do my job with the players I have and with the great spirit in the team we hope for the best,” a calm Kerr told Citizen Digital moments after taking his charges through a routine training session on Tuesday.