Kenya Champions Gor Mahia produced a sparkling performance to thrash Zamalek 4-2 in their CAF Confederation Cup Group D match at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi on Sunday.
Jacques Tuyisenge scored a brace in the first half before Nicholas Kipkirui and Denis Oliech added the other two strikes to hand K’Ogalo a record win over Zamalek, who got both goals from Ibrahim Hassan.
Gor Mahia didn’t have it all their way in the encounter: the White Knights struck first when Ibrahim Hassan’s shot from the edge of the penalty area passed through a crowd of bodies before finding the bottom corner of the net.
Jacques Tuyisenge equalized ten minutes later beating Mahmoud Ahmed by a low shot from Francis Kahata.
Two minutes later Lawrence Juma tried a long-range shot with his weaker left foot from 30 yards, but it went straight into the hands of Ahmed.
In the 38th minute, it was 2-1 to the home side.
Boniface Omondi swung the ball into the box and Tuyisenge headed on target, having capitalized on some poor defending from Zamalek.
The White Knights did eventually draw level in the 44th minute through Hassan, who harmless shot went in from a Boniface Olouch howler who let the ball slip in easily.
K’Ogalo started the second half well, using both wings effectively and it almost paid off in the 47th minute when Muguna found Kipkurui inside the penalty area, but he sent his header over the crossbar.
Kipkurui did get it right eight minutes later when he got in ahead of his marker to head past Ahmed from a well whipped sumptuous cross from Tuyisenge.
Zamalek started showing a hunger to get back into the match after the goal with Tarek Elsaid heading wide from six yards after the keeper had come out and certainly looked beaten.
Second-half substitute Denis Oliech added his name on the score-sheet when he composed himself to get past the keeper and fire the ball into the net in his CAF Confederations Cup debut.
The 4-2 puts K’Ogalo top of Group D before the other match later tonight which will see NA Hussein Dey play host to Petro Atletico in Algiers.
How they lined up:
Gor Mahia lineup: Boniface Oluoch (GK), Philemon Otieno, Shafik Batambuze, Joachim Oluoch, Charles Momanyi, Lawrence Juma (Haron Shakava 80’), Kenneth Muguna, Francis Kahata (George “Blackberry” Odhiambo 87’), Boniface Omondi, Nicholas Kipkirui (Dennis Oliech 67’), Jacques Tuyisenge
Zamalek lineup: 16. Mahmoud Ahmed (GK), 18. Ibrahim Hassan (Omar Elsaid 60’), 22. Abdallah Saleh, 28. Mahmoud Hamdy (Hazem Mohamed Emam 82’) 29. Khalid Boutaib, 13. Ferjani Sassi, 12. Hamdi Naguez, 11. Mahmoud Abdelmonem (Hamid Ahadad 57’), 10. Youssef Morsy 4. Mahmoud Ibrahim, 3. Tarek Elsaid
