Brilliant Gor gets the job done, storm to CECAFA quarters

Isaac Swila in Dar, Tanzania

Brilliant Gor Mahia rose to the occasion when most needed thumping AS Ports of Djibouti 2-0 to storm to the quarter finals of the CECAFA Kagame Cup as Group B winners.

Philemon Otieno was the unlikely hero opening Gor’s account in the 14th minute with a shot from the box before Charles Momanyi also went on the scoresheet with a simple header to give K’Ogalo a 2-0 goal cushion heading to the break, and the scores remained unchanged after 90 minutes.

At the Azam Sports Complex in Chamazi, Rayon Sports eased 3-1 past Lydia Ludic to also cruise to the quarters as Group B runner-up on 5points.

AS Ports who wrapped their campaign on four points also advance to the last eight as best loser two, alongside Jeshi La Kujenga Uchumi (JKU) who, on four points, sneaked to the quarters as best loser one, due to a better goal difference.

At the National Stadium in Dar, Gor, aware of the enormity of the task, took no chances pressing high and the rewards were aplenty.

Gor Mahia coach Dylan Kerr rung changes to the squad that drew 2-2 with Lydia Ludic, restoring Boniface Oluoch in goal while holding midfielder Ernest Wendo, rested in the previous game, also earned a recall.

There was no slot however for creative force Francis Kahata who was totally left out of the squad.

Kahata has of late been the subject of intense transfer speculation with reports that he could be heading to Simba rife, and Kerr, who has of late complained that the speculation was taking a toll on Kahata, made the call.

There were however nervous moments in the second half when Gor called on Oluoch’s reflexes to keep them in the game.

Oluoch stretched to the right to claw out a shot by Fofana Nladou in the 55th minute, and was in the thick of the things eight minutes later again.

SQUADS

Gor Mahia FC
Starting Eleven: Boniface Oluoch,Wafula Innocent, Walusimbi Godfrey, Harun Shakava, Otieno Philemon, Ernest Wendo, Momanyi Charles, Mieno Humphrey, Tuyisenge Jacques, Guikan Ephrem, Ondiek Bernard

Substitutes: Odhoji Shaaban, Boniface Omondi,Juma Lawrence, Kevin Omondi, George Odhiambo, Onyango Samuel,Mustafa Francis

AS Ports
Starting Eleven: Lumiya Sulait, Helem Mohamed, Wais Daoud, Ibrahim Aden, Bourek Salem, Junior Guessobo, Mahamoud Doualeh, Ibrahim Ali, Mohamed Adona, Franck Ndayisenga, Nladou Fofana

Substitutes: Ahmed Omar, Hamza Abdi, Abdolrazak Mahamoud, Mohamed Salem, Mohdi Houssein, Mohamed Bourhan, Mohamed Abdourahman