Nine-Man Gor Mahia Claw Atletico To Qualify For CAF Confed Cup Quarters

17th March 2019 - by Louis Kalinga

Jacques Tuyisenge’s second half penalty was enough for K’Ogalo as they made history as the first Kenyan club to qualify for last eight of the continental club competition

Jacques Tuyisenge of Kenya's Gor Mahia (C, below) celebrates with Batambuze Shafik (C, above) after scoring his second goal during their CAF Confereration cup football match against Egypt's Zamalek at The Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi on February 3, 2019. Kenya's Gor Mahia won by 4-2 against Egypt's Zamalek. PHOTO/AFP

SUMMARY

Tuyisenge’s 58th minute spot kick sealed Gor’s fate as they became the first Kenyan team to qualify for the quarters of the CAF Confederations Cup and receive a handsome KSHs 38 million.
The K’Ogalo faithful turned up in large numbers to show their support for the record league winners and Tuyisenge got the crowd up and running in the fifth minute, with the first attempt on goal
The home side picked up the pace and began to string together a couple of good passes which almost paid off in the 34th but Nicholas Kipkirui was not able to trouble Delgado

NAIROBI, Kenya- Jacques Tuyisenge wrote his name in the history books as his penalty was enough for nine-man Gor Mahia FC to beat Petro Atletico de Luanda of Angola at the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi on Sunday night.

Tuyisenge’s 58th minute spot kick sealed Gor’s fate as they became the first Kenyan team to qualify for the quarters of the CAF Confederations Cup and receive a handsome KSHs 38 million.

Ernest Wendo and Shafiq Batambuze were sent off in either half of the tense encounter that saw head coach Hassan Oktay also sent to the stands, but Gor displayed extreme composure to hang on for the famous win.

Gor came into the game knowing that nothing other than a win would see them become the first Kenyan club to qualify for the quarters of the continental competition.

The K’Ogalo faithful turned up in large numbers to show their support for the record league winners and Tuyisenge got the crowd up and running in the fifth minute, with the first attempt on goal.

Gor dominated possession for most of the opening exchanges but by the quarter hour mark, there was still no second attempt on Jorge Delgado’s goal.

In the 21st, Petro got their first real chance but Ricardo Estevao couldn’t direct his header toward goal as it bounced wide of Peter Odhiambo’s goal.

The home side picked up the pace and began to string together a couple of good passes which almost paid off in the 34th but Nicholas Kipkirui was not able to trouble Delgado.

A long break followed right after a nasty collision between Gor midfielder Wendo and a Petro midfielder, which led to a red card for the Kenyan in the 38th as the Angolan was stretchered off.

Ugandan defender Shafiq Batambuze got the perfect opportunity to put Gor ahead in the 39th from a direct free-kick but his effort was straight at Delgado.

Estevao came close yet again a minute later but he squandered his right-footed shot as it went inches wide of the Gor goal.

Antonio Rosa Ribeiro became the first change of the game in the 43rd as he came on to replace injured Vladimir Antonio Felix.

Tempers began to flare and Gor coach Hassan Oktay was sent off as well by the Moroccan referee Redouane Jiyed for lodging constant complaints.

The second half began with Gor on the front foot and Tuyisenge came close to opening the scoring in the 46th after a great Batambuze cross but his header went inches over the bar.

Boniface Omondi whipped in a teasing ball from a corner in the 50th that seemed to go past everyone as the crowd began to get antsy in anticipation of that elusive opening goal.

Gor were handed a lifeline in the 55th as Omondi was brought down in the box by Wilson Pinto and Tuyisenge stepped up to convert and give the Kenyans the advantage.

Petro began to pile pressure on Gor as the game progressed and came very close to equalising in the 66th but Estevao’s header went wide once again.

Goalkeeper Onyango and skipper Harun Shakava then received yellow cards for time wasting and back talk in the 68th and 69th.

Gor then made their first change of the game bringing on Geoffrey Omondi in place of his namesake Boniface Omondi in the 70th.

Tuyisenge hit the crossbar in the 74th after some great play and shortly after Batambuze was shown his second yellow card of the match, reducing Gor to nine men.

Another Ugandan Erisa Ssekisambu was brought on for the tireless Kipkirui with four minutes left in the game, the pair of fresh legs introduced to help preserve the lead.

The efforts of the entire team paid off as they held on for the famous victory in front of their home fans.

Gor finished runners-up in Group D behind nine-time CAF title winners Zamalek of Egypt, who drew 0-0 away to NA Hussein Dey of Algeria.

Zamalek and Gor had nine points each after six rounds, with the Cairo club first on head-to-head records, Hussein Dey eight and Petro seven.

Hassania Agadir of Morocco, Etoile Sahel of Tunisia, Al Hilal of Sudan and Nkana FC of Zambia were the other clubs to secure last-eight places this weekend.

Record three-time Confederation Cup winners CS Sfaxien of Tunisia and Renaissance Berkane of Morocco booked their places in the previous matchday