Congolese send Gor packing

Gor Mahia’s dreams of reaching the second round of the African Champions League on Sunday went up in smoke after the club lost 1-0 to hosts AC Leopards from the Republic of Congo in the return leg of the first round match.

Gor crashed out on a 2-0 aggregate, having lost the first leg meeting in Nairobi 0-1.

AC Leopards, known as the Beasts from Niari, had the upper hand even before Sunday’s kick-off at the 20,000-seater Stade Denis Sassou Nguesso Stadium in Bolisie.

Playing away and against one of Africa’s better clubs, Gor Mahia needed more than a miracle to sneak through to the second round of the tournament.

Gor Mahia’s head coach, Scot Frank Nuttall, kept faith with Boniface Oluoch who has been impressive between the sticks since January in Africa’s elite club football competition.

Kevin Oluoch, Liberian Dirkir Glay, skipper Musa Mohamed and Harun Shakava started in defence as Collins Okoth, Timothy Otieno Victor Ali Abondo formed a three-man midfield.

The towering Michael Olunga, Godfrey Walusimbi and George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo started forward but getting goals proved a tall order as the hosts defended with discipline.

After holding fairly well for 43 minutes, AC Leopards scored the only goal of the afternoon through forward Magnokele Bissele to bundle Gor out of the elite club competition.

Gor Mahia’s best chance fell on the feet of Olunga shortly after the interval when he pounced on a loose ball at the edge of the area and curled it past the Leopards defence but it went wide.

Nuttall brought on the speedy Ronald Omino for George Odhiambo with ten minutes left but Gor couldn’t get the job done.

Prior to this meeting, a broke Gor were unsure whether they would make the trip and it was always going to be a mountain of a task for the demotivated players.

Gor Mahia are expected back in the country on Monday to continue their Kenyan Premier League title defence.