Gor Mahia go down fighting 2-1 to APR
Additional reporting from the Nation
Gor Mahia on Saturday suffered a 2-1 defeat to Rwandan giants APR in the first leg of their Caf Champions League preliminary round at Nyamirambo Stadium in Kigali.
K’Ogalo defender Andrew “Roma” Juma scored an own goal in the 61st minute to give APR the much needed home win.
Charles Momanyi’s 27th minute header had levelled matters for Gor after Seifu Niyonzima’s 10th minute strike had given the home team the lead.
Gor will need a 1-0 win or a two-goal victory in the return leg next Saturday after getting an important away goal in Rwanda.
Gor Mahia stand in coach Sammy “Pamzo” Omollo was confident that despite the defeat, his charges still have a chance of qualifying for the first round. He said that they will use home advantage to avenge the loss.
“We played well and I am happy that we got an away goal despite losing here. Our preparation for the return leg will begin immediately as soon as we get back home. We are not out of the competition yet because we need to score a goal at home and avoid conceding,” said Omollo.
“It was a tough match, we possessed the ball and outplayed them in midfield but a few mistakes cost us which is normal in football. We have learnt a few things concerning the way they play which will enhance our preparation for the second leg,” added Omollo in a post-match interview.
Gor Mahia coach Roberto Oliveira, who travelled with the team, watched the match from the stands as he was not cleared by Caf to oversee continental competitions due to lack of a Caf “A” coaching licence or its equivalent of Uefa Pro.
The same fate also befell APR’s Moroccan coach Erradi Mohammed Adil who lacked the relevant qualifications from Caf.
APR took the lead in the 10th minute after Niyonzima tapped in Bukuru Christophe’s cross from the left wing past helpless Gor Mahia custodian Boniface Oluoch.
K’Ogalo threatened in the 16th minute when South Sudan striker Tito Okello shot just at the edge of the box and the ball went a few inches over the bar.
Momanyi would then restore parity when he headed at the back of the net from Kenneth Muguna’s free kick played from the midfield after Samuel Onyango had been fouled by APR captain Thiery Manzi.
Just 10 minutes after the restart, APR were unlucky not to go ahead after Yannick Bizimana squandered a huge chance by shooting a low shot at Oluoch despite going past Gor Mahia defenders.
Juma dimmed chances of Gor Mahia earning at least a draw after directing Yannick’s pass into his own net.
Andrew Juma plays like a villager.Bure kabisa.
Gor has along way to go this season.
Nothing is working from the management,technical bench and playing unit.
Jasego yawa nidhi Kure???
Andrew Juma plays like a villager.Bure kabisa
Cartel fired a top coach, Pollack, who had identified 4/5 local talents capable of improving the team so that they can go on a transfer spree bringing in 15 players.
The 15 players Rachier, as per SG’s letter, to have used kes.15 of his personal funds.
Did we recruit players with enough talent to get Gor to the kes. 55m CAL CL group stage?
TM Jolawi has been on the job since September 2014 and knows or should know what it takes to make the CAL CL money bracket.
It’s financial suicide to be eliminated in the preliminary rounds of CAF tournaments.
It’s better you don’t take part at all since the bills incurred plague the club for the rest of the season.
Gor fans should stop expecting sweet apple juice from lemons.
Shambolic preparations, ego tantrums, cartels self interest seem to litter the easiest path to GMFC reaching the $550,000 CAL CL group stage.
That achievement will plug the kes. 50m 2020/21 budget deficit and is now only 3 matches away.
Rachier, Wasuna and Jolawi have a combined 24 years experience in football both local and CAF and have no excuse for seeing Gor not reaching the CAF money bracket this time.
Correction :The 15 players whom Rachier claims, as per SG’s letter, to have used a whopping kes.15m of his personal funds to sign.
We need Omalla and Jules for the return leg.
@opiyo…..By shambolic preparations what exactly do you mean? I thought the team has been training well save for the side shows we witnessed before the apr game?
“Kigali’s first leg preparation was affected with a lot of off pitch issues ranging from head coach Roberto Oliveira Goncalves disqualification from the two-legged fixture to bungled travel arrangements, players’ go slow over unpaid salary and Secretary General Sam Ochola’s suspension due to gross insubordination.”
Not to mention the usual “engineered exit” of the previous season’s league winning head coach plus the massive in out transfer of 15 players disturbs the team’s chemistry.
Jolawi has been TM since Sep2014 and he should know better.
Is this how his fellow TMs in Al Ahly and Zamalek do things?
There are 2 positions in GMFC that experience strange exits.
1) Head Coach immediately after winning the league and before the transfer period,
2) Club Secretary General shortly after elections. Btw will Ngala again irregularly replace Sam Ochola as he did previously elected Chris Omondi and Ben Omondi.
Opiyo is correct gor mahia recruitment was bogus… Why release players like Boniface omondi, Lawrence juma.. Then sign players with no talent like Tito, and Bertrand.. Andrew juma isn’t gor mahia material.. APR fixture was an extremely easy fixture with good preparation we would have won easily..
Correction: Kogalo’s not Kigali
We expect a win next Saturday.
Just a goal and ensuring that they don’t score will see us through.
Hope Omalla & Jules Ulimwengu will lead the attack.