Gor Mahia defender Alphonce Omija provides injury update ahead of Al Ahly clash
Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 13.09.24. | 07:33
K'Ogalo’s preparations for the game were disrupted when Omija sustained an injury while on duty with the national team, Harambee Stars
Gor Mahia have received a massive boost ahead of their CAF Champions League clash against Al Ahly with news that defender Alphonce Omija returning to full training.
K’Ogalo are set to host the African giants in the first leg of the second preliminary round, with the return leg scheduled for a week later in Cairo, Egypt. The aggregate winner of the tie will advance to the group stages of Africa’s premier club competition.
Gor Mahia’s preparations for the game were disrupted when Omija sustained an injury while on duty with the national team, Harambee Stars, during an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Zimbabwe in Uganda last Friday.
He was substituted early in the game, with Ararat Armenia's Amos Nondi coming on in the match that ended 0-0.
Omija was key in the first preliminary round for Gor, scoring a goal in the 5-2 aggregate win for the Kenyan giants over El Merreikh Bentiu of South Sudan.
The defender missed Kenya’s second qualifier, a 2-1 victory over Namibia in South Africa, as he returned to Nairobi for further medical tests. Initial fears of a serious injury were alleviated after MRI and X-ray scans revealed no major damage.
“The injury wasn’t as bad as initially thought. I feared the worst, but the scans showed that it was just a knock, and the pain was quickly subsiding. I’m confident I’ll be fully fit in the coming days,” Omija said in an earlier interview.
“I’m hopeful I’ll be ready. I’m doing everything I can to regain full fitness, and I want to reassure the fans that I’m positive I’ll be available,” he added.
Omija has now confirmed that he comfortably completed training with the squad on Thursday, with the pain significantly reduced and optimistic about featuring on Sunday.
“I’m back in training. I resumed on Wednesday, but today was the first time I trained well with the rest of the team. I’m feeling good, and I hope to be available for Sunday’s game, which is very important for us. Everyone is excited, and I want to play,” he said.
The match is set to kick off at 3 PM on Sunday at the Nyayo National Stadium.
