K'Ogalo exit Caf Champions League
What you need to know:
- Gor Mahia’s dreams of advancing to the Caf Champions League group stage went up in smoke as they went down 1-0 to Tunisia’s Esperance Sunday at the Stade Olympique Rades.
- Gor had played to a barren draw in the first leg 11 days ago in Machakos, and they needed either a win or a scoring draw in the return match in order to keep their ambitions alive.
- Anice Badri’s 20th minute goal however, complicated matters for the 16-time champions, as they were unable to make amends for the remainder of the match.
Gor Mahia’s dreams of advancing to the Caf Champions League group stage went up in smoke as they went down 1-0 to Tunisia’s Esperance Sunday at the Stade Olympique Rades.
Gor had played to a barren draw in the first leg 11 days ago in Machakos, and they needed either a win or a scoring draw in the return match in order to keep their ambitions alive.
Anice Badri’s 20th minute goal however, complicated matters for the 16-time champions, as they were unable to make amends for the remainder of the match.
The result now means that Gor will play a two-legged play-off match with a yet to be determined opponent, with a win sealing their place Caf Confederation Cup group stages.
Badri got his chance in the 20th minute when he capitalised on a moment of poor clearance from Wesley Onguso and shot into the net giving Boniface Oluoch no chance.
The hosts had the upper hand for the remainder of the first half, where K’Ogalo survived twice from the unrelenting Esperance attack.
The second half was no different. Gor coach Dylan Kerr hauled off the ineffective George “Blackberry” Odhiambo and replaced him with diminutive midfielder Boniface Omondi, but this did little to salvage Gor’s fate.
It was a highly emotional and ill-tempered match, and there was a three-minute stoppage at the strike of half time when the K’Ogalo technical bench ventured onto the pitch in a bid to escape missiles being launched from the stands.
The Esperance fans were protesting against what they thought was biasness from Botswana referee Joshua Bondo.
Gor coach Dylan Kerr had retained first choice goalkeeper Boniface Oluoch between the sticks, as Onguso filled the shoes left by Godfrey Walusimbi in the left back position.
Joachim Oluoch covered the right back position as Joash Onyango and captain Harun Shakava stood guard in central defense.
Playing ahead of the defensive quartet was burly midfielder Ernest Wendo, who had help from Philemon Otieno will played just behind the striking pair of Meddie Kagere and Jacques Tuyisenge.
Gor line-up
Boniface Oluoch, Wesley Onguso, Joachim Oluoch, Joash Onyango, Harun Shakava, Ernest Wendo, Francis Kahata, Philemon Otieno, Meddie Kagere, Jacques Tuyisenge, George Odhiambo.
Esperance lineup:
Moez Ben Cherifia (GK), Houcine Rabii, Chamseddine Dhaouadi, Khalil Chammam, Sameh Derbali, Fousseny Coulibaly, Franck Kom, Mohamed Ali Moncer, Anice Badri, Youssef Belaili et Taha Yassine Khenissi.
