James Magayi @PeopleSports11
Gor Mahia’s dream of a fourth Cecafa Club Championship (Kagame Cup) title ended prematurely when they fell 2-1 to debutants Green Eagles of Zambia at Nyamirambo stadium in Kigali, Rwanda yesterday.
K’Ogalo took the lead early in the game before giving it all away and will now wait for next year to try and exorcise ghosts that have bedeviled them since 1985.
Nicholas Kipkirui gave Gor a dream start as he scored two minutes into the game with a lovely dink after stealing an intended back pass. A long speculative pass from skipper Harun Shakava found Eagles centre-back Boniface Sunzu who opted not to clear but nod the ball back to his keeper.
The lurking Kipkirui latched onto the ball and lifted it above the goalkeeper and into the net to draw first blood. Gor seemed to have settled faster and exhibited calm interplay in midfield as they slackened from the comfort of an early goal.
K’Ogalo were rudely stirred out of their rocking chair with Eagles first foray up field just six minutes after taking the lead. The Zambian club got back on level terms with a wild shot that beat Boniface Oluoch after defensive laxity allowed Eagles space and time in the box.
Tapson Kaseba had ample time to line up a shot and direct it into Boniface Oluoch’s far post after Eagles threaded the ball swiftly into the box. K’Ogalo attempted a quick comeback but employed the wrong tactics of long and high balls.
Eagles defenders easily cut out the lofted balls searching for Kipkirui and limited Gor in the entire first half.
In the 68th minute, Green eagles managed to breach Gor for the second time with a lovely finish from just inside the box.
