Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has hailed the impact of their last week tour of Libya ahead of their Kenya Premier League match against Kakamega Homeboyz.
Gor are set to accost Homeboyz on Wednesday at the Moi Stadium, Kisumu seeking to open a four-point gap between them and their match day opponents who have defied odds to place second.
Gor made good use of the Fifa international week to test their title defence mettle in Libya against Al Hilal FC at the Martyr of Benina Stadium.
Subsequently, the record Kenyan champions rallied from a goal down to hold the hosts to a one-all draw with Samuel Onyango on target. Gor missed the services of the trio of skipper Kenneth Muguna, Joash Onyango and David Mapigano who have been summoned for national team duties.
Polack said the inspiration his charges gathered from the tour will be felt when they face Homeboyz and warned their title challengers to brace up for a lethal K’Ogalo who jetted back on Sunday.
“It was an honour for us to be invited to a friendly match and the reception was one of its kind and the boys enjoyed their brief stay there.
"We did not struggle without the three starters, leaving no doubt that each player in the squad has a role to play and is equal to the task.
"There is a new spirit within the team and this will go a long way in our match against Homeboyz and in our quest to the 19th league crown,” he added.
His sentiments were echoed by the club’s goalkeeper Boniface Oluoch who clocked 90 minutes and earned his first start since Polack took over the reins.
The former Kenyan international said the tour was all the playing unit needed to psyche up for the remaining league matches. Oluoch has fallen to third in the pecking order after the arrival of Tanzanian Mapigano who has since established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper. The towering Mapigano did not travel to Libya as he was recalled to the national team for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
“We learnt a lot from the tour and the friendly match we played there. It was important for the players to be in a different environment,” he added.