CAF Champions League
GOR MAHIA STAR OUT OF CLASH WITH LOBI STARS
A star player will be missing from the Gor Mahia side when they face Nigeria’s Lobi Stars on Saturday in the reverse leg of the CAF Champions League first round fixture.
The combative midfielder Ernest Wendo will be a glaring absentee. He is suspended having picked his second booking in the competition in their 3-1 win over Lobi Stars on Sunday at Kasarani.
Nigeria’s Lobi Stars will be attempting a two goal margin win without conceding to advance to the group stage. Failure will see the side dropping into play-off for a place in the second tier CAF Confederation Cup.
For the Kenyans, they target an historic group stage qualification into the money-spinning Champions League. Gor Mahia, winners of the Mandela Cup in 1987 have never progressed to the group stages of the Champions League since the new format was adopted in 1997.
Their qualification to the group stages of the Confederations Cup last season was their first ever in the new era of CAF continental club football.
Their 26-man team is expected in Abuja later on Friday before taking a chatter flight to Enugu. The squad made a two-day stopover in Accra, Ghana.
The Kenyan side is being handled by a Cypriot coach, Hassan Oktay who is barely a month on the saddle. He might ink his name into the history books of Gor Mahia if he manages to avoid defeat to Lobi Stars.
It will be a follow up on Kenya’s success of a first
ever Confederations Cup group stage spot last season.
The tactician who joined Gor Mahia just before their preliminary round game
against Nyasa Big Bullets of Malawi is confident his boys have what it takes to
achieve the historic feat.
“When I came here, I knew the targets of Gor Mahia are big and my targets are also big. My objective is to see this team qualify for the group stages and one day soon, maybe to win the title. It is possible because we have a group of hungry players who want to do well and achieve big things,” Oktay said.
K’Ogalo, as the record 17-time Kenyan Premier League champions are known
convincingly won the first leg 3-1 in Nairobi last weekend and though Oktay was
disappointed that the scoreline wasn’t bigger basing on the chances they had,
he knows they can achieve another win away from home.
“They are a tough team but we should have won by a bigger margin in the first
leg. But we go away and we have to keep working hard. We need to improve a bit
in the finishing and we will be okay. We have to avoid conceding first because
that will put us under pressure,” the coach offered.
His sentiments were shared by the captain, Harun Shakava who believes the team
has what it takes to get into the group stages and has cautioned his teammates
not to lower their guard despite what looks like a comfortable first leg lead.
“They scored an away goal and that is something that will put us on our toes.
If we can score first then I think that will calm us down. But it will not be
easy. They are a very tough team and playing at home, we expect them to be even
better,” Shakava said.
He added; “We know that we are on the brink of history. Last year we lost by a
very slim margin to Esperance and we learnt our lessons. This time, we want to
do better and I know we are capable as a team. We have worked hard and gained
some very good momentum.”
The coach is lamenting the absence of Ernest Wendo, but he believes the squad is big enough to fill up the void and field a strong team in Nigeria.
CAF Champions League
Heartbreak for Al Ahly as Sundowns edge to CAF Champions League final on away goals rule
Mamelodi Sundowns clinched a dramatic spot in the final of the CAF Champions League after holding Al Ahly to a 1-1 draw in Cairo on Friday night, progressing on the away goals rule.
After a tense 0-0 stalemate in the first leg in Pretoria, it was Al Ahly who drew first blood in the return leg at the Cairo International Stadium.
Taher Mohamed fired the hosts into the lead midway through the first half, smashing home from outside the box after being teed up by the lively Emam Ashour.
Backed by a passionate home crowd, Al Ahly dominated much of the first period and looked on course to finally break their winless streak against the South Africans.
But Mamelodi Sundowns showed their resilience and turned the tie on its head in the closing stages.
With ten minutes remaining, a low cross caused panic in the Ahly defence, resulting in Yasser Ibrahim inadvertently turning the ball into his own net under pressure from Peter Shalulile.
It was a heartbreaking moment for the Egyptian giants and a lifeline for Sundowns, who knew a 1-1 draw would be enough to see them through.
Al Ahly threw everything forward in search of a late winner, with substitutes Achraf Bencharki and Wessam Abou Ali both going close in a frantic finale.
But Sundowns, marshalled superbly by their backline and aided by a bit of fortune, held firm to seal a famous qualification.
It marks a significant milestone for Pretoria-based side, who have now gone nine consecutive matches unbeaten against the record African champions.
Sundowns’ reward is a place in the final, where they will face either Pyramids FC or Orlando Pirates — with the second semi-final set to be decided later.
For Al Ahly, it was a night of bitter disappointment despite their brave efforts, as their dream of a record-extending CAF Champions League title came to a crashing halt at home.
-CAF
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CAF Champions League
Late Mayele heroics send Pyramids into historic first final after five-goal thriller
The Egyptian side Pyramids sealed a dramatic 3-2 victory over Orlando Pirates in Cairo on Friday night to book their place in the final of the CAF Champions League for the first time in their history.
After a goalless first leg in Johannesburg, both sides came out determined at the 30 June Air Defence Stadium, and it was Pirates who struck first when Relebohile Mofokeng slotted home from close range midway through the first half.
The lead, however, was short-lived. Pyramids levelled just before half-time, with Fiston Mayele pouncing on a cross from Mostafa Fathi to restore parity.
The end-to-end nature of the contest continued after the break, and Pirates regained the advantage when Mohau Nkota fired in a superb low drive on 52 minutes.
Yet the Egyptian side showed their resolve in front of their home fans. Ramadan Sobhi rose highest to meet a Mohamed Chibi cross, heading past Sipho Chaine to make it 2-2 just moments later.
The decisive moment came with just six minutes remaining.
After a goalmouth scramble from a corner, Mayele reacted quickest, hammering the ball into the roof of the net to spark wild celebrations among the home faithful.
Despite late pressure from the South African visitors, including efforts from Tshegofatso Mabasa and Relebohile Mofokeng, Pyramids held on to secure a famous win and extend their remarkable unbeaten home record to 23 matches.
The result means Pyramids will face Mamelodi Sundowns, who earlier eliminated Al Ahly on away goals, in what promises to be a mouth-watering final.
For Orlando Pirates, it was a brave effort but one that ultimately fell short, ending their hopes of a second CAF Champions League title.
-CAF
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Al Ahly and Mamelodi Sundowns are set for a blockbuster clash on Friday night at Cairo International Stadium as they battle for a place in the final of the CAF Champions League.
With the first leg in Pretoria ending goalless, everything is still to play for in this highly anticipated second-leg encounter.
Despite Al Ahly’s rich history and dominance in African club football, Sundowns have held the upper hand in recent meetings.
The South African giants are unbeaten in their last eight matches against the Cairo club, scoring 11 goals and conceding just five in that run.
Al Ahly have not defeated Sundowns since May 2021 and will be looking to overturn that trend on home soil.
The hosts have been rock solid at the back in this season’s Champions League, keeping three consecutive clean sheets.
Their defensive resilience will be key once again, especially against a Sundowns side that has failed to score in its last 216 minutes of continental action.
Peter Shalulile, with three goals to his name in the tournament, remains the Brazilians’ biggest threat up front.
Midfielder Emam Ashour has been pivotal to Al Ahly’s campaign, scoring five times — joint-highest in the competition — and will be expected to spark the attack once more.
Home advantage could prove crucial for the Egyptians.
They are unbeaten in their last six home games across all competitions and boast three wins from four home matches in this CAF Champions League campaign.
Sundowns, meanwhile, have struggled on the road, managing just one win in four away matches this season.
With a place in the final at stake, both sides will be pushing to make their mark in what promises to be a high-stakes, high-intensity clash under the Cairo lights.
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