Gor Mahia make light work of CUSCO, through to Betway Cup third round

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 3 – Gor Mahia made light work of National Division Two Side CUSCO, thrashing them 5-0 at the Ruaraka Complex on Thursday evening to progress to the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Betway Cup round of 16.

Tito Okello and John Macharia grabbed a brace each with defender Joachim Oluoch adding another as the defending league champions sailed through.

Gor will take on another lower tier side Mara Sugar in the round of 16 on Sunday as they look to battle for a trophy that has evaded them since 2012.

Gor broke the deadlock in the 12^th minute when Macharia chipped the ball into the net from the edge of the box after the CUSCO keeper punched Kenneth Muguna’s cross into his path.

Gor were dominant in possession, though they took the game lightly with no much punch upfront. Sammy Onyango and Muguna both had shots from distance flying just over.

Three minutes to the break, Gor came close when Muguna curled a freekick beyond the wall, but he was denied by the upright.

In the second half, Gor continued their dominance bossing the possession with coach Carlos Manuel vaz Pinto making changes to rest some of the key players. Okello, Alpha Onyango, Fred Nkata and Oluoch were all introduced.

Okello scored the second in the 73^rd minute when he controlled the ball inside the box off Onyango’s corner before volleying it into the net.

Ten minutes to time, Macharia completed his brace with a brilliant goal, taking a shot from 40 yards out that skipped over the keeper.

In the 89^th minute, Oluoch who was upfield for an attack got a goal for himself when his shot took an awkward bounce from the right, skipping beyond the keeper.

Okello then summed up the victory for Gor in added time to complete the route and hand Gor a slot into the next round.

Round of 16 fixtures:

Saturday

Equity vs Vegpro (Thika Stadium, 1 pm)

Bidco United vs Egerton (Thika Stadium, 3:30 pm)

Tusker vs Luanda Villa (Ruaraka Grounds, 3 pm)

Sunday

Sigalagala TTI vs Bandari (Utalii Grounds, 1 pm)

Ulinzi vs Nairobi City Stars (Ruaraka Grounds, 1 pm)

Gor Mahia vs Mara Sugar (Ruaraka Grounds, 3:30 pm)

KCB  vs Kariobangi Sharks (Utalii Grounds, 3:30 pm)

AFC Leopards vs Bungoma Super Stars (Thika Stadium, 3 pm)