Gor sink JKU to claim Cecafa Kagame Cup third place
Gor Mahia midfielder Innocent Wafula (right) and JKU's Khamis Khalid vie for the ball during their Cecafa Kagame Cup third-place playoff match at National Stadium, Dar es Salaam on July 13, 2018. PHOTO | VINCENT OPIYO |
What you need to know:
- Mustafa made a solo run into the box before slotting past JKU shot-stopper Mohammed Abrahman in the 53rd minute before Onyango doubled their lead in added time to ensure the Kenyan champions take home Sh1 million.
IN DAR ES SALAAM
Second half goals from Burundian striker Francis Mustafa and Samuel Onyango helped Gor Mahia sink Zanzibar champions Jeshi la Kujenga Uchumi (JKU) 2-0 in the Cecafa Kagame Cup third-place play-off match at National Stadium on Friday.
Mustafa made a solo run into the box before slotting past JKU shot-stopper Mohammed Abrahman in the 53rd minute before Onyango doubled their lead in added time to ensure the Kenyan champions take home Sh1 million.
“I am happy for my players though disappointed that we couldn’t reach the final. Credit to everyone, it's now nine games in 17 days, it has been fantastic, picked valuable lessons that we shall apply back home,” said Gor coach Dylan Kerr, who rested six players from the team that lost 2-0 to Azam in the Wednesday semi-final.
His JKU counterpart Hassan Ramadhan blamed lady luck for their loss.
“We didn’t get enough time to rest after an exhausting match in the semi-finals against Simba and things didn’t just work out entirely against Gor Mahia,” a dejected Hassan said in the post-match interview.
Innocent Wafula was rewarded for his stellar performance in this tournament with the captain’s armband as Shaban Odhoji replaced Boniface Oluoch between the sticks with Joash Onyango and Charles Momanyi partnering in central defence while Kevin “Ade” Omondi, who later paved way for Bernard Ondiek 10 minutes to time, and Lawrence Juma started in the midfield.
In the 35th minute, Onyango set up Philemon Otieno but the latter’s left footed shot missed the target narrowly.
Kevin Omondi’s mazy runs on the right flank troubled the JKU backline and with four minutes to the halftime break, failed to complete Mustafa’s pass while inside the box.
Gor continued with the onslaught after the restart and took the lead on 53 minutes through Mustafa, netting his second goal in a Gor jersey since his arrival from Rwandese side Kiyovu Sports last week.
Ivorian striker Ephrem Guikan wasted two glorious chances in a span of a minute with the only goalkeeper to beat.
The final two changes for Gor changed the tempo of the game with Jacques Tuyisenge and Harun Shakava replacing Lawrence Juma and Francis Mustafa respectively.
Tuyisenge raced down the left flank to find Onyango who doubled the lead with a low shot to the far post.
