Late Blitz propels Gor Mahia past APR
Two goals scored after the 90th minute steered Gor Mahia to a 3-1 victory over APR of Rwanda and a place in the first round of the 2020-2021 CAF Champions league. Gor Mahia had taken the lead in the first half through Samuel Onyango. Gor Mahia clung desperately to the lead as coach Sammy Omollo “Pamzo” made changes to try and hold onto the lead. When APR equalized it appeared that Gor Mahia were out of the CAF Champions League as APR tried to kill the game. Gor Mahia had appeared disjointed for most of the game and hopes of a comeback appeared unrealistic. Then came the late blitz. First it was Sydney Ochieng who scored in the 91st minute then Kipkirui netted the third goal to put Gor Mahia in the next round.
Additional reporting from the Nation
Substitutes Sydney Ochieng’ and Nicholas Kipkirui ensured Gor proceeded to the first round on a 4-3 aggregate score after Keddy Nsanzimfura had cancelled Samuel Onyango’s first half opener with only seven minutes left to play.
Gor, who lost the first leg 2-1 in the first leg in Kigali, went ahead in the 18 minute through Onyango shortly after Jacques Tuyisenge had missed a penalty.
K’Ogalo had conceded a penalty in the 10th minute after Andrew ‘Roma’ Juma fouled Tuyisenge inside the box. K’Ogalo custodian Gad Mathews, who was making his debut, made a superb one-hand save to his right to prevent Gor from falling further behind on aggregate.
Eight minutes later, Onyango scored from a set piece situation after Kenneth Muguna delivered sumptuously into the box.
K’Ogalo continued their dominance in the game forcing APR’s Moroccan coach Adil Erradi to withdraw Seif Niyonzima for Yanick Bizimana in the 28th minute.
APR had a clear chance to equalise but Gad Mathews punched Claude Niyomugabo’s header outside the field of play.
In the second half K’Ogalo came determined to get another goal as stand-in coach Pamzo Omollo made a double change bringing in Cliffton Miheso and Sydney Otieno for Tito Okello and Bernard Ondiek respectively.
With 20 minutes to go teenage sensation Benson Omala almost added a second for the record champions with a thunderous shot but the ball veered inches wide with Rwabuguri well beaten.
Substitute Keddy Nsanzimfura then sent the visitors’ bench to a frenzy when he scored from a long range shot to level matters.
A nervy ending ensued as Omollo summoned Kipkirui from the bench to replace Muguna. Sydney netted in the 92nd minute to restore Gor’s chances before Kipkirui sealed passage to the first round with a late header from a Clifton Miheso corner.
Gor stand to earn Sh58 million upon qualification to the group stage and upto Sh250 million for winning this prestigious competition.
Gor will meet either Al-Nasr of Libya or Algerian champions CR Belouizdad in the first round.
Al-Nasr will be looking to overturn the 2-1 defeat in the first leg when the two teams meet in the reverse fixture on Sunday in Libya.
Gor Mahia line-up
Gor Mahia XI: Gad Mathews, Charles Momanyi, Philemnon Otieno, Nahashon Apudo, Andrew Juma, Ernest Wendo, Kenneth Muguna, Bernard Ondiek, Tito Okello, Benson Omalla, Samuel Onyango
Subs: Opiyo, Geoffrey, Joachim, Konfor, Sydney, Miheso, Kipkurui
I actually stopped watching the game when APR equalized. Only to come back and find the score 3-1. Shocker
Congrats team. Thats what we call character and winning attitude. But if the team wants to progress further, they still have a lot of work to do. For me, we won but the game was a bit disjointed. I did not see creativity and hunger for goals generally. All in all, kudos team kubwa.
Two matches from CAF CL group stage and kes.55m prize money.
That prize money should plug the club’s 2020/21 budget deficit.
Winning the league and playing 34 matches earns Gor Mahia kes.5 m which may or may not be paid.
Where is Jules Uliwengu?
Where is the Malawi lad?
Our recruitment policy is really suspect.
I hope, though i have doubts, whether long serving Jolawi recruited players enmasse of quality enough to propel GMFC to CAF CL group stages.
Habitual firing of league winning head coach does not help.
I repeat Jolawi, Wasuna & Rachier have a combined 24 year experience at this level, they cannot rely on luck and guesswork.
Players & TB again carried the day, let’s take care of the goose that lays the golden eggs.
Rachier allegedly spent kes.15m on signing players.
Let’s start getting that value.
This is the easiest draw to CAF CL group stage GMFC will ever get.
I believe AR and company delays/frustrates the the payment of a coach for the last 4 to 3 months before the end of a league, so that he can leave and later they pay themselves.We won the game bt the performance was below par, technically APR were better.Thumps UP for the win.Hope the issue of the Brazilian coach is sorted A.S.A.P.
All that excitement about new signings was for nothing. Kipkirui should be in the starting line-up
Honestly most of the new signings aren’t good enough for gor mahia.. This Tito okello guy and Andrew juma are talentless.. Please let them stay on bench.. I don’t understand why Miheso is warming the bench in favor of scam foreigners
JULES ULIMWENGU UKO (AKO) WAAAAPIIIII?
Now the Augumentin fronted GMFC treasurer, Dolfina Odhiambo, who is yet to issue any statement on the financial status of the club ever since she was elected is requesting fans to fundraise so that they can pay players’ salaries.
Remember Chairman Rachier recently said that Betsafe had advanced the officials half the 2020/21 sponsorship monies, i.e kes.27.5 million.
Gor Mahia has only played 2 competitive matches this season.
Madam, kindly account for the kes.30 million we know you’ve received from FKF and Betsafe first.
Al Nasr (Libya) 0–Belouizdad (Algeria) 4.
Gor Mahia next opponents are Belouizdad from Algeria.
Ist leg 22/12/2020 Away.
Return leg 6/1/2021 Home.
Gor Mahia is only 2 matches away from the kes. 55m CAF CL prize money group stage. This will plug the club’s 2020/21 budget deficit.
Hopefully long serving TM recruited players with enough quality to move GMFC to the CAR CL group stages.
He has been TM since Sep2014 and should what is required. Wasuna and Rachier other long serving officials should put their experience to good use.
What is really your problem? There was election and you never contested. You are only busy here yapping like a mongoose in a thick Kodera forest in Kasipul Kabondo yawa.
1) Gor Mahia national treasurer Dolfina Odhiambo has revealed the financial support the club chairman Ambrose Rachier gave for the Rwanda trip last weekend.
Gor Mahia were faced with financial challenges just before their first encounter against APR in the Caf Champions League. Odhiambo, in a short financial statement obtained by Goal, revealed Rachier gave the club some KSh75,000 to facilitate travel to Kigali.
2) Sam Ochola alleged.
“That between September 1 and 4, cash withdrawals of up to KSh20 million were made from two Gor Mahia accounts yet as members of the Executive Committee and the Secretariat, we were not a party to.”
Ochola, who was elected in August, has further claimed Ronald Ngala is being used by Rachier in the transactions business illegally since he ceased being a Gor Mahia official.
“It is clear that the former Deputy Secretary-General [Ronald] Ngala was involved in all these transactions,” he added.
*So Madam Treasurer, Dolfina Odhiambo, is it that Rachier through Ngala withdrew kes.20 million from the club’s accounts and then contributed kes.75,000 to facilitate trip to Kigali?*
Please shed more light as your explanations of the financial situation at Gor Mahia leave more questions than you are answering.
Kindly, the whole office start traveling preparations to Algeria early. The dates have been set as 22 or 23 of this month. Let us be there by 20th latest 21st if cost is un bearable. Place your air tickets request to the ministry this week or early next next week so that this time we have good traveling plan. Avoid last minute rush, this makes some of us to develop high blood pressure.
I really thank the Almighty God for this win because everybody was praying for the team and God heard our prayers and give our players more energy and wisdom to kill the game. Congratulation the team and continue working hard your work will be blessed and get in a very more higher level than anybody would not have thought of you. I kindly request the officials, especially the Chairman, Treasurer, and the Secretary general please I plead with you that kindly look into the welfare of our players they are really ready to deliver I again request the supporters, the well wishers,the friends of the team and any body who can assist the team do it to motivate the players and the technical bench for the better result go go go with a lot of courage you will make it and you always remember that in everything we do we should always put God first and hard work too then everything will follow once more congratulation and may reach your destiny.
I really thank the Almighty God for this win because everybody was praying for the team and God heard our prayers and give our players more energy and wisdom to kill the game. Congratulation the team and continue working hard your work will be blessed and get in a very more higher level than anybody would not have thought of you. I kindly request the officials, especially the Chairman, Treasurer, and the Secretary general please I plead with you that kindly look into the welfare of our players they are really ready to deliver I again request the supporters, the well wishers,the friends of the team and any body who can assist the team do it to motivate the players and the technical bench for the better result go go go with a lot of courage you will make it and you always remember that in everything we do we should always put God first and hard work too then everything will follow once more congratulation and may you reach your destiny.