Solid start for Gor Mahia: Kenyan champions beat Leones Vegetarianos in opener

Gor Mahia FC's Francis Kahata (right) is challenged by Jose Manuel of Leones Vegetariano during CAF Champions League at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos County on Feb 10, 2018. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Ade scores his first goal on return to K’Ogalo with Ivory Coast striker Guikan also on target.

Kenyan Premier League Champions Gor Mahia have one foot in the CAF Champions League first round after beating Equatorial Guinea’s Leones Vegetarianos 2-0 in their first leg of the preliminary round at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos, yesterday.

Kevin ‘Ade’ Omondi scored his first goal on his second return to Gor Mahia before Ivorian striker Ephram Guikan came off the bench to double the lead.

The winner of the tie on aggregate in the return leg scheduled for February 21 in Equatorial Guinea will face either ASAC Concorde of Mauritania or Tunisia’s Esperance in the next round.

K’Ogalo dominated the game from on-set and should have won it with a big margin, but their strikers were not clinical enough in front of goal.

“The performance and attitude was fantastic right from the kick off. Leones came here with a game plan, but I am happy we got two goals to take us there.

“There was a lot of pressure on the players heading into the match, but they managed it,” Gor Mahia coach Dylan Kerr said.

“Credit to my back four for keeping a clean sheet. We have some key areas to work on before the return leg.

“Our final third was not that impressive, may be Kagere (Meddie) should have scored four goals today and Kevin Omondi a brace, but to be fair all players were brilliant.”

Gor made an intense start with the trio of Meddie Kagere, Kevin Omondi and George Odhiambo keeping Leones defence on toes.

Gor could have taken the lead in the fifth minute when Godfrey Walusimbi busted on the left flank, delivered a brilliant cross in the box, but Kagere shot directly at the Leones goalkeeper Manuel Sapunga before Francis Kahata’s goal was out for ruled offside before Omondi later shot wide.