Tusker secure crucial away goal in Arta Solar draw

Kenyan champions Tusker Saturday settled for a 1-1 draw against Djibouti moneybags AS Arta Solar 7 in a Caf Champions League preliminary round first leg match held at Hassan Gouled Stadium in Djibouti City.

The match was played behind closed doors to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus. Tusker will host the second leg next Saturday at Nyayo National Stadium hoping to proceed to the first round where Egyptian giants Zamelek lie in wait.

Tanzanian import Ibrahim Joshua opened the scoring for Tusker in the 14th minute to earn the champions a a crucial away goal before former AS Monaco striker Alain Traore restored parity moments later.

Coach Robert Matano named five new signings in his line up while his counterpart Libiih Thomas also also lined up former Barcelona and Arsenal midfielder Alex Song and former Cameroonian international Dany Nounkeu.

The other new faces in Tusker team who started were custodian Brian Bwire, Charles Momanyi, Clyde Senaji and Daniel Sakari.

John Njuguna, Elvis Osok, Protus Kirenge  and custodian Patrick Matasi who were also acquired in the current transfer window started from the bench.

Tusker made the first attempt in the eighth minute, Boniface Muchiri testing Arta Solar custodian Sulait Luyima with a low shot from the right wing after being picked out by Humprey Mieno. 

Ibrahim, a former Kent Gold FC player in Tanzania, gave the brewers the lead when he pounced on a lose ball at the Arta Solar defence before firing home.

However, the lead didn’t last as a minute later Doualeh Mahamoud raced past Tusker skipper Eugene Asike to find space and set through Traore, a Burkina Faso international, who easily shot past helpless Bwire to give the hosts the much deserved equaliser.

At the half hour mark, Tusker defenders were caught napping after Samuel Temidayo’s long ball from the midfield found Nounkeu, but the former Cameroonian international blasted the ball wide.

The game was even between the two sides for the rest of the first half save for a fruitless Muchiri corner in the 43rd minute.

Matano made his first change after the breather, withdrawing Senaji, who had a quiet game for Apollo Otieno in the 55th minute to reinforce the midfield which was dominated by Arta.

His opposite number Thomas followed suit by making a double change in the 67th minute; Diafro Sakho and Mogueh Idriss replacing Traore and Ahmed Mohamed.

Sakho made his presence felt a few minutes after coming on as he forced Bwire to a save from a long range shot.

Arta then pinned Tusker in their own half but their wasteful forwards Mohamoud and Mohamed failed to convert.

Tusker then toyed with possession to salvage a draw with central defenders Eugene Asike and Momanyi impressive at the back.