Gor Mahia booked their place in the semifinals of the 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup after a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Djibouti's Garde Republicaine at Kigali Pele Stadium on Thursday night.
The Kenyan champions took an early lead in the 4th minute through striker Paul Okoth, who scored the decisive goal that K'Ogalo defended resolutely throughout the match. This win allowed Gor Mahia to finish atop Group A on goal difference, tied on six points with Uganda's Vipers SC and Rwanda's APR FC.
Gor Mahia had started the tournament strongly with a 5-0 thrashing of APR but suffered a narrow 1-0 loss to Vipers, putting their qualification hopes under pressure. The victory over Garde Republicaine ultimately secured their progression to the semifinals.
In the next round, Gor Mahia will face either Rwanda's Rayon Sport or Tanzania's Singida Big Stars, both of whom have performed well in Group C. Rayon Sport and Sudan's Al Hilal SC are currently level on six points ahead of their final group match.
Coach Charles Akonnor emphasized the need for character and determination before the decisive game, qualities his team demonstrated to advance in the competition.
