Kenya's Gor Mahia in Confederations Cup "Group of Death"

Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-22 09:57:14|Editor: Li Xia
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NAIROBI, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan football club Gor Mahia will have to be at their best if they are to progress through a tough group at the CAF Confederations Cup.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Monday confirmed that the Kenyan champions will have to force their way past five-time African champions Zamalek of Egypt in Group B.

The other sides in Group B are Petro Atletico from Angola, and Algeria's NA Hussein Dey.

"It is always a tough call at this level of competition. But we are Gor Mahia and we are going out there to play for Kenya and my players know how it feels to represent a nation. They know that we must win," said Gor Mahia head coach Hassan Oktay.

The group stage matches will be played on a home and away basis, with the top two finishers earning a slot to the quarter finals.

Former Cameroon forward Patrick Mboma assisted the draw process conducted by CAF Deputy General Secretary Anthony Baffoe.

The tournament winners will face off against the winners of the CAF Champions League for the right to play at the FIFA World Club Championships.

Holders Raja Casablanca were drawn with fellow Morrocan outfits RS Berkane and Hassania Agadir in Group A, with Congolese champions AS Otoho completing the quartet.

The outcome serves a replica of the tournament's 2012 edition, when Al Merreikh, Al Hilal and Ahly Shendi of Sudan were all drawn in the same group.

While Group A had three teams from one country, it was a near similar situation in Group B and Group C, which both feature two teams from the same countries.

Tunisian duo Etoile du Sahel and CS Sfaxien are in Group B alongside Enugu Rangers of Nigeria and surprise package Salitas from Burkina Faso.

In Group C, Zambia has two clubs - Nkana and Zesco, with Asante Kotoko of Ghana and Sudan's Hilal the other teams.

Kotoko and Hilal have old scores to settle, after being drawn in the same group of the maiden CAF Confederation Cup in 2004.

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