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Gor, AFC Get Bye
[April 24, 2014]

Gor, AFC Get Bye


(AllAfrica Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) GOtv Shield champions AFC Leopards and Kenyan Premier League champions Gor Mahia have been exempted from the preliminary rounds of the 2014 edition of the competition.

The two will have to wait until the semi-final of the competition which kicks off this weekend. Twelve matches are on the cards pitting 24 teams from the Division 1 and Provincial leagues. The event will be run on a one-match knock out format.



SuperSport (East Africa) general manager, Auka Gecheo, observed that the 2014 edition will have 64 teams, an increase from the 48 who took part last year.

"This is a good start as we seek to increase the number to about 200 in the next five years," said Gecheo. FKF acting vice president, Robert Asembo, said the matches will be spread across 30 towns in the country as opposed to only four last year.


"This year's tournament is spread across the country and we are looking at a situation where each county will be represented in the future," said Asembo.

"The tournament provides a good platform especially for the smaller teams as they will have a chance to play against the giants in the country." Gecheo added that they are considering broadcasting the matches in towns outside Nairobi.

Winners from the weekend fixtures will join their counterparts in the Super League (24) and KPL (14) in the second round of draw. GOtv general manager Felix Kyengo said they expect a better and more peaceful tournament as opposed to last year where the final between adversaries Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards witnessed crowd trouble.

Winners of the tournament will pocket Sh2m in addition to getting a chance to represent the country at the CAF Confederations Cup next year. Losing finalists will bag Sh1m with third-placed team going home Sh750,000 richer. Individual performers will receive cash awards and GOtv decoders. Meanwhile, Kyengo said GOtv will partner SuperSport in ensuring they air all the 2014 Fifa World Cup matches which begin in 50 days.

Weekend fixtures: Vihiga United vs Butterfly, KNH vs Red Eagles, Intercity vs Homa Bay Talent, Fresha vs Dandora Combined, UoN vs Blitz, Museno Sambakhalu vs Nyakach United, Strathmore vs Muhoroni Young, Thome Buffaloes vs Ulinzi, Warriors, Commercial vs Leventis, Vibwanga vs Magarini, Wazee wa Kazi vs Mumbi Nationale, Transfoc vs Metumi United.

Copyright The Star. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).

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