Big task lies ahead of Kenya’s continental representatives return leg matches

Gor Mahia Micheal Olunga dribbles past CNAPS of Madagascar Raketoharimalala Njiva in CAF Champions League match at Nyayo National Stadium. Photo/DAVID NDOLO

Kenya’s representatives in the CAF Champions League and Confederations Cup Gor Mahia and Sofapaka respectively have a mountain to climb ahead of their return leg matches in a fortnight.
While Gor managed a slim 1-0 win over Madagascan opponents CNaPS, Sofapaka were made to sweat before losing 2-1 to Zimbabwe side FC Platinum, a result that sees them habour accumulated pressure and put their hopes of making it into the first round just but a mirage.
In the least Gor need a barren draw in Antananarivo if they are to progress while Sofapaka will need at least a 2-0 win to book a second round ticket. The common denominator in both team’s performances over the weekend was weakness in the final third and this particularly cost Batoto ba Mungu dearly.
Coach Sam Timbe is however optimistic his side can overturn the result, showing confidence they will book a first-round ticket. Timbe said: “If we play the same way we played today in the return leg, then we will have good results. We played well and our biggest undoing was that we never converted our chances.
It is an area we need to address in the next two weeks and I am optimistic we will overturn the result. Football is indeed a very unpredictable sport and you never know. No one should count us out yet,” he said. Sofapaka still showed the same defensive lapses that cost them against Sofapaka in the Super Cup against Gor last week with Timbe yet to tick the right boxes as to who should play where at his back line.
Timbe pulled new signing Willis Ouma to the wings with Felly Mulumba partnering Johnson Bagoole at the heart of defence but that still did not change the results. Timbe was quick to absolve his back four from blame saying; “Defence starts from the front. When we lose very easy chances and the pressure turns to defence, there is very little they can do.”
Sofa will need to be at their very best in Zimbabwe especially against a side that boasted to be at only 45 per cent in terms of preparation. Norman Mapeza, Platinum’s coach said: “Apart from the result, nothing better can be said of our performance. The return leg will be tough because Sofapaka showed they are a good side. We will prepare to win.”
Gor’s Nuttal saw his side command sizeable possession in the opening half before being kept constantly on the back foot in the second period. Albeit scoring from a penalty, Gor had many scoring opportunities, most of which unfortunately went begging. “We must give credit to our opponents the cause they showed they are not pushovers.
Also, we played a very competitive match in midweek and most of the players are not yet physically ready. It was a good result we won but we should do better in the return leg. We can progress from here,” Nuttal said. Last season, Gor’s journey stopped at the first round with a humiliating 8-2 defeat against Tunisian giants Esperance.