Record league champions Gor Mahia and FKF Cup winners Kenya Police secured rather favourable draws for the preliminary round of the 2024-2025 CAF Champions League and the Confederation Cup respectively.

Gor Mahia were paired against South Sudanese champions El Merreikh Bentiu while Police will face Ethiopia Coffee FC. 

While Gor will be returning to the Champions League after three years in the cold, Police will be making their first-ever appearance in club continental football. 

For a club that was playing in the Kenyan second tier slightly over four years ago, making it to Caf matches is considered a massive achievement but coach Iddi Salim believes it is not enough. 

Police secured the Confederation Cup ticket following their 8-7 post-match penalties shootout win against KCB in the FKF Cup final staged two weeks ago.

Salim, says despite their inexperience in continental football, the club has the potential to eliminate the vastly experienced Ethiopian side and sail past the preliminary round. 

“With good preparations, we believe we will progress past the first round. We will be facing a strong side that has experience in playing Caf matches but we are ambitious to advance further,” the tactician told SportsBoom.com. 

Should Police beat Ethiopia Coffee on aggregate, they will meet the real test in defending champions and African giants Zamalek of Egypt in the second round.

Salim, who has previously coached at such level, insists that, with solid planning and preparation, Zamalek are beatable.

“Impossible is nothing in the world of football. There no longer exists a favourite in continental football. I believe if we plan well, we will go all the way to the group stages,” stated the former Harambee Stars goalkeepers’ trainer.

A handful of Police players have played in the tournament before with their previous clubs and Salim is calling on them to lead from the front and offer guidance to the first timers.

Skipper Musa Mohamed, defensive midfielder Duncan Otieno, central midfielder Kenneth Muguna and winger Samuel Onyango are some of the players who have tasted continental football before in their previous workstations.

Goalkeeper Patrick Matasi left back Abud Omar, midfielder Charles Ouma and centre back David ‘Cheche’ Ochieng have played continental football with the national team.

“I don’t think we will have a problem in adapting and fitting into the demands of the continental level. A good number of our players have played in the tournament before. Some of us in the technical bench have been there before.” –SportsBoom

I expect the senior players to play a big role in helping us achieve our goals,” added Salim.

Police skipper confident

Coach Salim’s thoughts were backed by club skipper Musa Mohamed who remains confident of inspiring the club to attain the set goals in the tournament. 

Just like Salim, Musa says solid preparations and beefing up the squad are the right ingredients for success in the tournament.

“The success of the team in the showpiece is dependent on how well we will prepare. From the pre-season, recruitment, and focus. If we get it right, then we will punch above our weight,” Musa told SportsBoom.com.

Gor Mahia hopeful of breaking group stages jinx

Despite being regulars in the Caf Champions League, K’Ogalo have never qualified for the group stages.

The 21-time league winners are however hoping to write history in the new season despite the threat posed by defending champions Al Ahly of Egypt in the second round.

Captain Philemon Otieno says the team had learnt its lessons and will approach the new season with an elite mentality.

“Our path to the group stages is tough but with excellent preparation, we can upset the defending champions and make it,” the experienced defender added.