Herculean tasks await Gor, Tusker

By Omondi Onyatta

Kenya’s football representatives in the continental club championships Gor Mahia and Tusker face monumental tasks of upstaging their Egyptian opponents in the second leg. This comes after both teams lost their matches to ENNPI and Al Ahly over the weekend.

Injury-riddled K’Ogalo suffered a heartbreaking 3-0 thrashing at the hands of ENNPI in a Confederations Cup match in Cairo on Friday. The FKF Cup champions now have to score at least 4 goals without reply in the second leg to be held a fortnight later.

On the other hand, TPL champions Tusker lost 2-1 to CAF Champions League defending champions Al-Ahly at the Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday. The brewers must now defy history to become the first Kenyan club to win in North Africa.

Coach Robert Matano, however, remains optimistic that the side can do the unthinkable. “This team has the pedigree to emerge victors in the second leg,” Matano said. However, Tusker would have to improve on their striking department, which wasted a lot of chances before the Egyptians struck twice within ten minutes.

In Cairo, Gor Mahia had to do duty without the services of several key players. Moses Odhiambo and Paul Kiongera were nursing injuries while Ivan Anguyo could not make an impact as he was suffering from a stomach bug. The Ugandan was eventually substituted in the second half for David Owino.

Coach Zdravko Logarusic admitted that his charges had been outplayed in the match played at closed doors. “Many players were injured and my options were limited,” the Croatian stated.

Both teams made it into the second round of their tourneys after brushing aside Seychellois opposition. Tusker thrashed St. Michel 7-1 on aggregate while K’Ogalo walloped Anse Reunion 5-0.

First published in March 2013.