Record Kenyan champions Gor Mahia have been left with a huge mountain to climb if they are to progress to the second round of the 24/25 CAF Champions League after being stunned 1-0 by South Sudan outfit Al Merreikh Bentiu on Sunday evening.
In the first leg match of the First Preliminary Round tie staged at Juba Stadium, the Kenyan champions succumbed to a 64th minute strike from Mohammed Musa that was enough to gift the home side a crucial advantage heading into the return leg set for Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi on 25 August.
Speaking after the game, Gor Mahia’s head coach Leo Neiva lamented over Al Merreikh’s time wasting tactics but promised to stage a response when the two teams meet again in one week.
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“The first half was a good game for both teams. We started better than them and had around three to four clear opportunities. In the second half, unfortunately, Al Merreikh always tried to break play especially after scoring.
It is not something I like to talk about but I need to. That kind of tactic of always trying to stop and breaking play always so that they can eat up time is not good for African football. It is not an excuse but let them try and increase their football style as well.
That aside, congratulations to them but the second leg is in Nairobi. Let them wait for us over there,” Neiva remarked after the game.
K’Ogalo, who were making their return to continental football for the first time since 2021, had new signings Alphonse Omija, Levin Odhiambo and Ghanaian Enoch Morrison handed their competitive debuts in the match.
The 21-time Kenyan champions got off to the perfect start as Boniface Omondi came agonizingly close to finding the back of the net just three minutes in, only for his shot to miss the target by a whisker.
After soaking in early pressure, Al Merreikh started making inroads into the clash and could have taken took the lead in the 18th minute following a wicked cross cum shot that was tipped out to safety by Kevin Omondi who stayed alert.
Morrison could have done better in the 31st minute after wriggling from the left flank as he cut in onto his preferred left foot but his strike just went over the bar as the two sides went into the break with the deadlock intact.
Al Merreikh started the second half with the upper hand as they pinned Gor Mahia in their own half for large parts.
Their resolve finally paid off in the 64th minute when Mohammed was at the right place at the right time to find the breakthrough after an initial shot had cannoned off the crossbar, sending the fans in Juba to a frenzy.
Needing to find some response, Gor made changes, bringing on the attacking quartet of Austine Odhiambo, Shariff Musa, Samuel Kapen and Lawrence Juma.
The latter almost had an immediate impact as he made a clean strike with the ball inside the penalty area but his shot was just too central, the keeper making a good save to deny him.
Gor Mahia found some attacking purpose in the final twenty minutes but as they threw bodies foward, Al Merreikh hit them on a counter that almost produced the second goal only for Joshua Onyango to make a goal line clearance in the 74th minute.
After surviving the scare, Gor Mahia tried all they could but Al Merreikh stayed resolute as they held on to claim the 1-0 win.
Gor Mahia starting XI
Kevin Omondi (GK), Paul Ochuoga, Geoffrey Ochieng, Sylvester Owino, Joshua Onyango, Alphonse Omija, Boniface Omondi, Alpha Onyango, Chris Ochieng, Enoch Morrison, Levin Odhiambo
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