NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 25 – Gor Mahia secured their place in the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League after a resounding 5-1 victory at home against South Sudan’s El Merrikh Bentiu at the Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday.
The record Kenyan champions had to come from an early goal down, with goals from Chris Ochieng, Alpha Onyango, Alphonce Omija and Rooney Onyango’s late brace securing the win in Nairobi, which earned them a 5-2 victory on aggregate.
Gor had lost the first leg away in Juba last weekend by a solitary goal, and just six minutes into the match in Nairobi had seen the South Sudanese go 1-0 up.
However, pushed on by a good crowd that had turned up at Nyayo, K’Ogalo secured victory which earns them a date against record African winners, defending champions Al Ahly of Egypt in the second round.
A mistake at the back had seen Gor concede first into the game. Geoffrey Ochieng attempted a short back pass down the left, Mohamed Elfaki winning the ball and crossing down to Samuel Temidayo who slapped home unmarked at the backpost.
But, K’Ogalo put up a fight and it took them just four minutes on the turn to level matters. Ochieng ran up to a long ball dumped behind the defense and with the keeper out, lobbed it over to an empty net.
The return of Rooney Onyango and Austin Odhiambo who both missed the first leg in Juba had spurred Gor. Rooney missed due to issues with his passport while Austin was benched as he had just returned to training.
The creativity of the duo upfront was the spark Gor needed.
After 21 minutes, they were 2-1 up. Austin’s trickery on the ball on the left saw him beat one marker while the second floored him. The ref waved advantage and the ball was sprayed to Rooney who slapped a low cross that Alpha turned home brilliantly.
In the 35th minute, Gor completed the comeback when Austin’s deep delivery from a freekick on the left found the run of an isolated Omija at the backpost, the latter beating the offside trap to score.
Gor thought they were 4-1 up on the afternoon when Shariff Musa slammed the ball home after the Bentiu keeper smothered a Paul Ochuoga shot against the bar, but the assistant referee’s flag was up for offside.
In the second half, Gor should have had more with Shariff, Ochieng and Austin all shooting over from scoring range, while Rooney had one shot saved and another blast the side netting.
The South Sudanese made their efforts to try rally back, but Gor were solid in defending.
With 10 minutes left, the home side drove the final nail into Merrikh’s coffin, Rooney finally getting his goal with a fine right footed curl into the far post after being teed up by substitute Samuel Kapen.
The same pair was to combine again in added time, Kapen rolling down a cross from the right with Onyango stretching to score inside the box, just a minute after Merrikh had a goal disallowed for offside.
