Record Kenya Premier League champions Gor Mahia saw their CAF Champions League journey come to an end following a 3-0 defeat to Al Ahly at Cairo International Stadium on Saturday.
The loss on Saturday night completed a 6-0 aggregate victory for the Egyptian giants, who cruised into the group stage.
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Al Ahly’s Rebi Salim, Wessam Abou, and substitute Taher Mohammed were the architects of Gor Mahia’s downfall, each scoring to dismantle K’Ogalo’s hopes of a comeback.
Already on the back foot after a 3-0 loss at Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi, in the first leg, Gor Mahia entered the match missing key players like goalkeeper Kevin Omondi who was ruled out with an injury on his shoulder, while defender Rooney Onyango was dropped following an indiscipline issue, further complicating matters for the Kenyan side.
The match kicked off cautiously, with neither team showing much urgency in the opening minutes. However, Al Ahly soon began to assert themselves, with Percy Tau coming close to opening the scoring in the 13th minute. The South African forward found himself one-on-one with Gor Mahia goalkeeper Gad Mathews, but Mathews’ quick reflexes denied him, keeping the score level.
Gor Mahia’s best moment came almost immediately afterwards when Shariff Musa surged into the Al Ahly penalty area after receiving a long ball from Mathews. However, the Egyptian defense was quick to clear, showing why they were among the continent’s best.
The deadlock was broken in the 23rd minute when Rami Rabia rose unchallenged to head in from a corner. It was a simple but well-executed set-piece, and Gor Mahia’s defense was left flat-footed. Despite Gad Mathews pulling off several key saves to keep his team in the match, Gor Mahia struggled to get a foothold, pinned back by Al Ahly’s relentless pressure.
The second half saw Gor Mahia increasingly on the defensive as Al Ahly cranked up the tempo. The pressure bore fruits in the 67th minute when a misplaced pass by Alpha Onyango led to a swift counter by Al Ahly. Six quick passes from the Egyptian defence culminated in Yahya Attiaullah setting up Wessam Abou for a tap-in, doubling the home side’s lead.
Al Ahly continued to dictate the tempo, and the final blow came in the 89th minute when substitute Taher Mohammed who came in for Afsha found space in the box and slotted home from a tight angle. This sealed Gor Mahia’s fate and highlighted the defending champions’ dominance, marking their 1,000th minute without conceding in the CAF Champions League.
Gor Mahia’s exit from the CAF Champions League shifts their focus back to the FKF Premier League, where they will need to regroup and refocus. With Mathare United awaiting them in their first domestic fixture this season, Gor Mahia will be keen to put this disappointment behind them and get back on track.
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