APR face Gor Mahia in an all E. Africa affair

Caf Confederation Cup First leg, Preliminary round Gor Mahia v APR 1600 APR face a tough outing against Kenya’s Gor Mahia in the preliminary round first leg of the Caf Confederation Cup this afternoon at Nyayo stadium, Nairobi. The nine-time league champions arrived in Nairobi Friday night only to find they had been booked in what the club secretary general Aime Kayinamura only described as “poor standard” hotel. “Gor Mahia officials booked us in a very poor hotel with no vehicle around to facilitate our movements and everything was in a total mess that night. “We contacted the match commissioner from Tanzania and he made a report of the whole state of things,” Kayinamura said. However, he stressed that the difficulties they faced on their arrival will not affect the team’s performance. “The players are in good state and no one has been affected and we are looking forward to winning tomorrow (today),” Kayinamura told Sunday Sport by telephone from the Kenyan capital. Rene Feller’s team, who are returning to this competition after four years of playing in the more lucrative MTN Champions League, had one training session last evening at Nyayo stadium. Before departure, Feller claimed that his team will not underrate Gor Mahia but still will not give them too much respect. “We want to win the away game with a high goal margin to be on the safe side ahead of the return leg at home,” noted the Dutchman. Although APR has been hit by the withdrawal of Rwanda U-20 midfielder Jean Mugiraneza with a toe injury, they still possess other options to win today’s game. Players like Labama Bokota, Ndjoli Bukungu, Elias Ntaganda, the Twite twin brothers Mbuyu and Kabange should add steel to the military side which already boosts of talented players such as Haruna Niyonzima, Elias Uzamukunda and the Burundian pair of Fuadi Ndayisenga and Karim Nizingiyimana. Gor Mahia will also be hoping to take better advantage of home support after the shrewd signing of James Siang’a as their new head coach. Siang’a arrived at Gor Mahia with a reputation of having taken Tanzania’s Simba to the MTN Champions League money spinning group stages last season after eliminating Egypt’s Zamalek along the way. Their star players include; Julius Owino, Dan Odhiambo, Tonny Onyango, Elisha Ochieno, Peter Opiyo. Ends