Gor Mahia qualify for CAF Confederation Cup group stage after beating Cameroon’s New Star 2-1 on aggregate
Football
By
Gilbert Wandera
| Jan 20, 2019
Confed Cup: K’Ogalo through to group stages for the second year in a row
Kenyan Champions make it to money stages of the Confederations Cup after a barren draw against Cameroonian team.
Gor Mahia are through to the group stages of the Confederations Cup after battling to a barren draw with New Stars at the Limbe Municipal Stadium on Sunday.
The Kenyan side go through on 2-1 goal aggregate as they had won the first leg by this margin in Nairobi last weekend.
With that win, Gor Mahia are assured of at least Sh27million as they make it to the group stages for the second time in a row.
READ MORE
Ngugi wa Thiong'o and the African literary revolution
Tanzania doctor describes bodies taken from morgue as fresh protests loom
Gor Mahia coach Hassan Oktay was a relieved man after the hard fought barren draw in Limbe.
“We knew it was going to be very hot. My boys tried very hard under difficult circumstances. In the first half, we had two chances and we missed. They also had two chances in the second half and missed,” he said.
Oktay paid tribute to their opponents and said they played better at home. “In the first leg, we dominated the match. Today, they were on top and did much better.”
Coming into Sunday’s match, the hosts had not had a not so impressive record at home.
Having lost away to Gor Mahia it was always going to be tough for them to turn around the results.
New Stars had edged out Al Ahly of Libya 1-1 on aggregate after picking a scoring draw away and a barren draw at home.
In the first round, they hammered Burundi’s Vital ‘O’ 4-1 away and were held to a barren draw in the return leg at home.
New Stars went all out in the first half in search of an early goal with Gor Mahia doing everything possible to defend their slender lead.
Three weeks ago, Gor Mahia had let go a two goal lead to go down to Lobi Stars of Nigeria in the return match of the Champions League tie and were clearly determined not to repeat the same mistake.
With nine players at the back, New Stars found it hard to break down the Gor Mahia backline.
Coming into the second half, New Stars were unlucky not to score. First Kemajou Kemajou found himself with only Boniface Oluoch to beat in the 49thminute but placed the ball way off the mark. Ben Omondi also came close for Gor Mahia before he was pulled out for George Odhiambo in the second half. Confederations of African Football (CAF) will conduct the draw for the group matches today in Cairo.
Gor Mahai squad
1-Boniface Oluoch (GK), 2- Philemon Otieno, 3-Shafik Batambuze, 4-Joachim Oluoch, 5-Charles Momanyi, 6-Ernest Wendo, 7-Lawrence Juma, 8-Boniface Omondi, 9-Francis Kahata, 10-Jacques Tuyisenge, 11-Francis Mustafa
Subs: Peter (GK), Wellington, Pascal, Ssekisambu, Odhiambo, Benard, Samuel
Coach: Hassan Oktay.
-Gor Mahia will play at least six matches in the group stages of the Confederations Cup.
-The winner of the Confederations Cup pockets Sh125million.