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Kenya’s representatives in the Africa club championships left themselves with a mountain to climb in the preliminary stage of the competitions after posting discouraging results at home in Nairobi.
While Kenyan Premier League champions Gor Mahia squeezed a 1-0 win over Madagascar’s CNAPs on Saturday in the Africa Champions League, Sofapaka, the domestic cup champions were hammered 2-1 by Zimbabwe’s FC Platinum on Sunday.
The results put both Gor Mahia and Sofapaka under pressure to avoid defeat in the return leg. Gor Mahia may have the luxury of forcing a draw to sail to the first round, but Sofapaka will have to win by at least two clear goals to make it through.
Against CNAPs, Gor Mahia started brightly and were duly awarded a penalty in the first minute which was scored by Ali Abondo, but that was the only positive that came out of the Kenyan champions who looked to be struggling to find their rhythm throughout the game and ultimately, the reaction of their coach Frank Nuttall after the match summarized their frustration.
“Generally we played well, but the problem is we could not score. We will need to work on that before the second leg,” he said.
CNAPs gave a good account of themselves. The missed two open chances, something that Nuttal will have to be wary of when they head to Mianarivo for the second leg.
“Of course, they are a good side with pace especially on the flanks. That we have noted and we shall work on it.”
Sofapaka who four years ago missed the group stage by a whisker put themselves on the knife edge with a 2-1 defeat in Nairobi by Zimbabwe’s FC Platinum.
And while their coach Sam Timbe remained defiant in the face of defeat saying his side will turn tables in the return leg in Zvishavane Zimbabwe, he knows their chances are extremely slim.
“On paper, it is not going to be easy for us. But do not write us off. We can overturn the result and have the advantage,” said the Sofapaka coach.
“Everything is possible in football. They have the advantage but when you look at how we played, we also had our chances which we did not utilise. They got two opportunities and they scored,” added Timbe.
Platinum scored through Brian Muzondiwa in the 25th minute before Razak Fiston leveled for the hosts two minutes after restart. But the goal that killed Sofapaka came in the 74th courtesy of Donald Ngoma.
Sofapaka must score twice and avoid conceding in the return leg.
-Supersport