CECAFA Kagame Cup 24: Gor Mahia stare at group stage exit after tough draw against Djibouti Telecom

14th July 2024

K'ogalo will face Al Hilal in their last group game on Tuesday.

Gor Mahia's Levin Odhiambo in action against Djjibouti Telecom. PHOTO| CECAFA
Gor Mahia's Levin Odhiambo in action against Djjibouti Telecom. PHOTO| CECAFA
SUMMARY
  • Levin Odhiambo scored for Gor Mahia but Warsama Houssein equalized just two minutes later.
  • The result left Gor Mahia with one point from two matches played as they prepare to face Al Hilal.
  • Only the top teams from the three groups and the best runner up will advance to the semis in the 12-team competition.

Record Kenyan champions Gor Mahia will need some sort of a miracle if they are to advance past the group stage of the CECAFA Kagame Cup 2024 currently taking place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

This is after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Djibouti Telecom in their second Group B match played on Saturday evening at the Azam Complex in Chamazi, leaving them with only one point from a possible six and without a chance of topping their pool with only one game remaining.

Having lost their Group B opener 0-1 against Red Arrows from Zambia, the side under the stewardship of new Brazilian coach Leo Neiva knew they needed nothing short of a win to keep alive their hopes of making the semis of the regional showpiece.

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They were then handed the perfect gift before their clash as Sudan giants Al Hilal thrashed Arrows 5-0 but the team could not capitalize on the opportunity they had been given.

Gor, who always looked in a rush to score, lacked the composure to keep the ball and conceded possession cheaply time and again while Telecom read the game cleverly and caused trouble whenever they passed the halfway line.

K’Ogalo, who had made a raft of changes to the squad that lost against Red Arrows, managed to take the lead in the 39th minute through Levin Odhiambo who was playing in his first match for the club since signing in March.

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The left-footed played connected cleanly with a Chris Akena inswinging corner with his first-time shot catching the Telecom rearguard napping.

However, just two minutes later, Telecom hit on the counter and suspect defending allowed them to restore parity as Warsama Houssein rifled in a shot from close range to equalize.

Try as they might, Gor Mahia could not just manage to get the winning goal as Telecom held on for a point.

The result left Gor Mahia with one point from two matches as they prepare to face Al Hilal, who have won their two games, on Tuesday.

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