By Robin Toskin

Rwanda’s APR gave Gor Mahia a harsh reality check on their return to continental football with a 5-0 drubbing at Nyayo National Stadium.

Fuadi Ndayisenga opened and closed APR’s account and Labama Bokota also netted a brace in between with Elias Nzamukunda getting the other.

In a display that left APR coach Rene Fehler confident of a second round passage to the Confederation Cup, Ndayisenga left Steve Otieno for dead to fire low into the left corner of Jerry Onyango’s goal on 15 minutes.

Bokota doubled the lead on 33 minutes with a free header before sweeping the third a minute later into the roof to silence the fanatical K’Ogalo fans who turned up to watch the Confederations Cup tie on Sunday.

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APR’s Labama Bokota gets the better of Gor’s Francis Akang’o, yesterday. Photo: Robert Gicheru/Standard

Nzamukunda stretched the score to four, five minutes after restart, following some neat passing helped more by lethargic defending by Gor Mahia.

The lively Ndayisenga ensured APR finished business early with crisp finishing on 54 minutes.

"We are in the second round simple and clear," a confident APR coach, Fehler, said.

Gor Mahia coach James Siang’a was left clutching on hope etched on a youngside he said would grow to challenge such experienced sides as APR.

"APR’s experience told. They played very well and I agree they outplayed us," Siang’a said.

Dumping Zamalek

Outplayed would be an understatement as the man whose biggest claim to fame was dumping Egypt’s Zamalek out of the CAF Champions League whilst at Tanzania’s Simba SC, as the Rwandans out-thought and out-muscled K’Ogalo.

The omens were never good right from kick off as APR put Gor on the back-foot especially with the incisive Ndayisenga nutmegging right-back Otieno to the extent of prompting a walkout of fans, demanding he be substituted.

After shredding Mathare United 3-0 in the Kenyan Premier League season curtain raiser ten days ago, Gor fans were rubbing their hands in glee hoping for an avalanche of goals.

However, the tide would turn against the 1987 Mandela Cup winners as the experienced Rwanda side knocked the win off their sails, ripping apart their defence in a manner that would have Austin Oduor, Bobby Ogolla, Swaleh "Oswayo" Ochieng or George Otieno "Sollo" gnashing their teeth.

Keeper Injured

The few chances that went Gor’s way could not stir substitute goalkeeper Jean Claude Ndoli who came in after Aime Ndizeye was wheeled out with an ankle injury after a clash with Christopher Wekesa.

Wekesa had drawn a one-handed save earlier on from Ndizeye before going out but the resultant corner went begging.

George Odhiambo attempted a long drive on 26 minutes, but it was way off the mark. He later inadvertently redirected off target Wekesa’s shot.

Substitute Ben Gemenet in for Wekesa completed Gor’s sad tale by twice volleying over.