Gor return home with confidence sky-high
The Gor Mahia squad during a training session in Suez, Egypt, on October 13, 201. They face Al-Ahly Merowe tonight in the Caf Confederation Cup first round match.
What you need to know:
- Onyango, Omala, Ulimwengu on the mark in come from behind win
- K’Ogalo coach Harrison says they were the better side but warns against complacency
Following an emphatic 3-1 win over Sudanese side Al Ahly Merowe in the first round, first leg match of their CAF Confederation Cup on Friday, Gor Mahia will return home today surely feeling the job is all but done.
“It was a good game. We conceded but did not panic and fought and got the important goals. The players followed my instructions, maintained possession and attacked well. It was evident we were the better side,” said Gor Mahia coach Mark Harrison.
K’Ogalo came from a goal down to beat Al Ahly at the New Suez Stadium in Suez, Egypt behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The return match will be held this weekend.
Al Ahly found the back of the net in the 41st minute through Ahmed Saeed.
Gor hit back in a dominant second half display with goals from Samuel Onyango, Benson Omala and Jules Ulimwengu.
Onyango scored from the penalty spot in the 55th minute before Omalla added the second from close 10 minutes later.
Burundian striker Ulimwengu added the third with a powerful shot just at the edge of the box in the 70th minute to wrap up a comfortable win for the visitors.
Al Ahly hosted the match in Egypt as no stadium in Sudan has been approved by CAF to stage continental fixtures.
Gor’s British tactician was impressed by his team’s fighting mentality despite travelling with only 17 players for the match as the rest of the squad had not been registered to play.
First game
This was the first continental assignement for the 60-year-old Harrison, who took the mantle in August after the shock resignation of Portuguese tactician Carlos Manuel Vaz Pinto.
“Congratulation to my team. The job is not yet done and we shouldn’t be complacent ahead of the second leg,” he added.
Gor are definitely on the driving seat with a two-goal advantage heading to their home game at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi next Sunday.
While Al Ahly made it to the first round following a 4-0 aggregate win over Atlabara of South Sudan in the preliminary round, Gor got a bye to this stage.
The record 19-time Kenyan champions made the trip with only 17 players since they couldn’t register their new acquisitions because of a Fifa ban for failing to pay former coach Steven Polack and Tanzania winger Dickson Ambudo.
The dues for the two were cleared by Gor last week but the club was handed another ban for failing to clear Sh3 million debt owed to Ghanaian midfielder Jackson Owusu.
