NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 11 – Former AS Monaco striker Alain Traore curled in a superb freekick just two minutes after Ibrahim Joshua had scored a debut goal as FKF Premier League champions Tusker FC played to a 1-1 draw with Arta Solar 7 in soaring Djibouti heat in the first leg of the CAF Champions League preliminary round.
Tusker picked up the crucial away goal in the encounter and will have all to play for in the return leg in Nairobi next weekend.
“It was a very tough game for both teams and I think at the end of the game, a draw is a fair result for both teams. I think we controlled the game well but we couldn’t use our chances. But we pick the positives from here and hope for a better performance in the return leg,” said Arta Solar captain Alex Song, who is a former Arsenal player.
Tusker skipper Eugene Asike said; “It was a very difficult match under difficult conditions but we managed to get a draw. This result away from home is massive for us and we now plan to do better when we play in the return leg in Nairobi.”
Tusker had a brilliant start to the match when Tanzanian Joshua broke the deadlock with a well taken volley from the edge of the box.
The new boy raced to a ball from deep in Tusker’s half before swinging a first time volley past the keeper.
However, Arta responded almost immediately. The home side won a freekick from 30 yards out. Former Monaco and Burkina Faso international Alain Traore stood behind it, curled it beyond Emery Mvuyekure for the equalizer.
What followed was a scrappy affair between the two sides with few chances far in between. Tusker thought they should have had two penalties; first when a ball seemed to have ricocheted off an Arta hand while second when Daniel Sakari was hounded down on the right.
In the second half, the home side came back stronger and Mvuyekure was forced to work just eight minutes after the restart when he did well to punch off a fierce shot from Gabriel Dadzie who had broken away on the right.
Tusker made changes, Apollo Otieno coming in midfield for Clyde Senaji while Jackson Macharia was also pulled out for John Njuguna. The Kenyan champions were forced to make another change when goal scorer Ibrahim had to come off injured and was replaced by Teddy Osok.
But it was the hosts who were more dominant in the second half with possession passing, anchored by the experience of song in midfield.
The introduction of former West Ham striker Diafra Sakho added some punch in attack. He almost scored five minutes atter coming on when he took on a run on the right, but under pressure from Kalos KIrenge, he shot wide.
Arta should have had a goal or two, but their intricate passing never bore fruit when they took too many touches on the ball even when on scoring opportunities. Tusker defended well with the back three of Asike, Kirenge and Charles Momanyi holding on firm.
