We begin another chapter in our long and storied journey in African football this Sunday when the Kenyan champions welcome Egyptian side Pyramids FC to Nyayo National Stadium in the first leg of their CAF Champions League preliminary-round tie.
For K’Ogalo, continental football is nothing new. In fact, this year’s campaign marks another milestone in a journey that began 57 years ago, when Gor Mahia first ventured onto the African stage.
Where it all began
Our first taste of continental football came in the 1969 African Champions Cup, the predecessor to today’s CAF Champions League.
Gor Mahia’s opening assignment was against Sudanese side Burri FC. We announced ourselves in spectacular fashion, winning the first leg 4-2 away from home, with legendary striker William Ouma “Chege” scoring twice, while Denis Olando and Chris Obure were also on target.
Although Burri won the return match 1-0, Gor Mahia progressed 4-3 on aggregate.
Our historic debut campaign would eventually take us to the quarter-finals, where we came up against Egyptian champions Ismaily. The Egyptians prevailed 4-2 on aggregate, but Gor Mahia had already announced their arrival on the continental stage.
59 opponents, Pyramids to become No. 60
Since that debut in 1969, Gor Mahia have gone on to face clubs from across the length and breadth of the continent.
We have faced 59 different teams in competitive African club competitions. Pyramids FC will therefore become the 60th different opponent to stand in our way on the continental stage.
Egyptian giants Zamalek are our most frequent opponents, having faced K’Ogalo seven times across four different campaigns (1984, 1994, 1998 and 2019)
Next are Tunisia’s Espérance, whom we have encountered six times in three different campaigns (1987, 2014 and 2018).
We have also faced Cannon Yaoundé of Cameroon, El Merreikh of Sudan, APR of Rwanda, Young Africans of Tanzania and USM Alger of Algeria on four occasions each.
Pyramids will now become the fifth Egyptian club we have faced, taking us back to Cairo and another chapter in our long-running relationship with Egyptian football.
A continental journey across Africa
Our continental travels have taken us to some of Africa’s most established football nations.
Over the years, Gor Mahia have visited 33 of Africa’s 54 football-playing nations, encountering clubs from virtually every corner of the continent.
Egypt and Sudan have each provided us with four different opponents, while we have faced three different clubs from Somalia, Madagascar, Rwanda and Algeria.
It is a remarkable geographical footprint for a club that has carried the Kenyan flag across Africa for more than five decades.
149 goals on the continental Stage
Our continental adventure has also produced its fair share of goals.
Gor Mahia have scored 149 goals in African club competitions, with those goals coming from 67 different players.
Leading the way is legendary striker Peter Dawo, whose 15 continental goals remain a club record. He is followed by Jacques Tuyisenge (10), Andrew Obunga (7) and Allan Thigo (6).
Nicholas Kipkirui and Samuel Onyango have five goals each, while Sammy Onyango “Jogoo” and Austin Oduor have four apiece.
Dawo’s continental record is particularly significant. His exploits helped drive Gor Mahia to the club’s greatest continental achievement — winning the 1987 Africa Cup Winners’ Cup, becoming the first club from the CECAFA region to lift a major African club trophy.
Our favourite opponents for goals
Of all the teams we have encountered in Africa, Tanzania’s Young Africans (Yanga FC) have conceded the most goals to K’Ogalo.
We have scored nine goals in four meetings against our neighbours.
Zamalek are next with seven goals conceded, while Marines of Somalia, Espérance of Tunisia, Anse Réunion of Seychelles, Aigle Noir of Burundi and Aigle Noir of South Sudan have each conceded five.
It is another reminder of the breadth of Gor Mahia’s continental history, from Sudan and Egypt in our earliest years to Tunisia, Cameroon, Nigerai, South Africa, Algeria, Tanzania and beyond.
Pyramids: The next chapter
The Egyptian side will be the 60th different opponent in our continental history and the latest club to stand between Gor Mahia and another memorable African campaign.
The first leg will be played at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday, 6 September at 3:00 PM, before the return leg in Cairo on 13 September.
For a club whose African journey began with William Ouma “Chege”, Denis Olando and Chris Obure scoring against Burri in 1969, Sunday’s encounter represents another opportunity to add to a continental story that has already spanned generations.
59 opponents have come before us. Pyramids will be No. 60.
And as Gor Mahia embark on yet another journey into Africa’s big stage, the ambition remains the same to fly the green and white flag as high as possible.
