Gor Mahia’s hopes of reaching the champions league group stage were severely dented on Sunday when they lost 4-1 to USM Alger in Blida<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Additional Reporting from the Nation<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gor Mahia suffered a 4-1 defeat in the hands \nof Algerian side USM Alger in a first round Caf Champions League match \nat the Stade Mustapha Tchaker in Bilda on Sunday night. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mohamed\n Rabie scored the opener in the 16th minute, sending in a volley from \ninside the box after a good cross from Muaid Ellafi on the left flank. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rabie\n doubled his side’s lead in the 45th minute from the spot after Gor \nMahia custodian David Mapigano was adjudged to have fouled him in the \nbox. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Algeria Under 23 International \nZakaria Benchaa made it 3-0 with brilliant curler into the corner as the\n game went to the breather with the Algerian champions firmly in \ncontrol. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Play was stopped for a \nminute after Gor Mahia striker Nicholas Kipkirui was elbowed by Hamza \nKudri in the 47th minute and had to be attended to my medics. Kenneth \nMuguna took the resultant freekick but USM keeper Ismael Mansour easily \npicked it. Samuel Onyango came in for the injured Kipkirui a few minutes\n later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
K\u2019Ogalo pulled one back in the 55th minute, captain Muguna sending Mansouri the wrong way after Charles Momanyi’s goal-bound shot was handled in the box.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zakaria Benchaa grabbed his second in the 75th\n minute to make it 4-1, reacting fast to tap in a rebound from the edge \nof the box after a freekick had beaten Mapigano but bounced off the \npost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
USM Alger’s big win at home \nmeans they carry a huge advantage to Nairobi when the two teams meet for\n the return leg in Kasarani on September 29 with the aggregate winner \nentering the group stage of the competition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gor Mahia line-up <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n David\n Mapigano (GK), Wellington Ochieng, Geoffrey Ochieng, Charles Momanyi, \nJoash Onyango, Tobias Otieno, Lawrence Juma, Kenneth Muguna (C), Bonface\n Omondi, Dickson Ambundo, Nicholas Kipkirui<\/p>\n