Gor Mahia coach Charles Akonnor has refused to give up on his side’s CAF Champions League hopes, insisting the Kenyan giants can still reach the second preliminary round despite suffering a 2-0 first-leg defeat to Pyramids on Sunday.

The Kenyan record champions now face a difficult task to overturn the deficit after goals from Walid El Karti, who opened the scoring in the fifth minute, and Mahmoud Saber, who doubled Pyramids’ advantage just before half-time.

The result handed Pyramids a significant advantage ahead of the return leg, which is scheduled to take place in Cairo on September 13. The Egyptian club won their first CAF Champions League title in 2025 after defeating South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns 3-2 in the final.

Gor Mahia went into the match hoping to secure a positive result against the reigning African champions, but the early setback made it difficult for them to mount a comeback at Nyayo Stadium.

Despite the defeat, Akonnor remains optimistic about his team’s chances and believes Gor Mahia can still turn the tie around if they execute their game plan effectively in the second leg.

Gor Mahia will find a strategy

“Pyramids were experienced. They have a lot of national players in their team. They’ve played in their league,” the Ghanaian coach told the media after the match, as quoted by Pulse Sports.

“They’ve played four matches. They’ve not lost anything. So, they are a good side, and we have to accept it in good faith, go into the next game and believe that if we do the right things at the right moment, there’s always a chance for us.”

Akonnor added: “Today we lost 2-0. You never know. But it’s too early to talk about it. We will find a strategy, an idea of how we want to play in Cairo. And then we’ll see the way forward.”

“Well, I think today, if you look at how we played in the previous matches, there are so many reasons why we were not in good shape after CECAFA.”

Discussing Gor Mahia’s overall performance against Pyramids, Akonnor highlighted the importance of small details and concentration, particularly against an experienced opponent.

“Before this game, I’ve always talked about the little details, you know, and that is what we saw,” Akonnor said.

“In the early minutes, we had a goal where they saw a chance to score. We tried it, but it didn’t happen.

“Just immediately after that, we conceded the goal, and these are a few things that, you know, we’re talking about: an experienced team, a team that is the Egyptian champions.”

Despite the result, Akonnor was encouraged by his players’ response, particularly after the break.

“Today, we’ve shown a good sign. I’m very, very happy about it. Especially in the second half we played. And so, we are not too worried.

“It’s the momentum. It’s the idea of going forward, pushing forward. These boys need to be encouraged. Even if things go bad, we need to encourage them. We need to give them self-belief, and we’ll see the way forward.”

Gor Mahia have learnt lessons

Akonnor believes the defeat provided his players with valuable lessons ahead of the return leg, warning that mistakes at this level can be costly.

“And so, the least mistake you make, you will be punished. We had the necessary details on how to approach this game.

“In the first half, there was a little bit of a lack of concentration. We didn’t do well. We were supposed to hold the midfield. We lost the midfield a bit. It gave them an advantage in controlling the game. In the second half, it got better.

“We created a few chances, and of course those who came in the name of Jackson and the rest proved a little bit of positivity in the way we played and the way we wanted to play.

“Unfortunately, we’ve lost and disappointed our fans, but life goes on, and there are a lot of lessons to take from this game.”

Gor Mahia entered the fixture looking to bounce back after suffering a 3-1 defeat to Tusker FC in the FKF Super Cup the previous Sunday.

Pyramids, meanwhile, have made a perfect start to the 2026/27 Egyptian Premier League campaign, collecting nine points from their opening three matches.

Under South African coach Rulani Mokwena, Pyramids currently sit top of the 20-team league standings with a maximum nine points.

The winner of the two-legged tie will advance to the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League, where they will meet either South Sudanese side El Merreikh Bentiu or Somalia’s Heegan FC.