Gor Mahia and USM Alger played to a 0-0 draw in a CAF Confederation Cup clash played at a rainy Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi on Wednesday evening.
K’Ogalo were out of the blocks early and it needed a great save from Alger goalkeeper Mohamed Lamine to prevent Ivorian striker, Ephrem Guikan from opening the score for the Kenyan champions.
More attacks from Gor resulted in Lamine again having to punch clear, with Guikan proving to be threatening once more. Francis Kahata then had a chance for K’Ogalo, but pushed his attempt wide and so, too, did his teammate, Jacques Tuyisenge, a few minutes later.
Stung by K’Ogalo’s enterprise, Alger finally got into some sort of rhythm and created a few opportunities of their own. Oussama Darfalou failed to make the most of his chance, while good interplay between Okacha Hamzaoui and Faroukh Chafai also caused some uncertainty in the Gor Mahia defence.
The Kenyan side, though, finished the first half in the ascendancy and were unlucky not to score when Black and Reds defender Mohamed Benyahia cleared the ball off the goal-line.
Faroukh Chafa should have found the back of the net a minute into the second half following a pin-point cross from Oussama Darfalou but he could not find the target with a free-header and the net gaping.
Spurred into action, Dylan Kerr coached side responded with two inviting chances, but Godfrey Walusimbi fired over the bar and, soon after, Guikan’s header was well saved by Alger keeper Mohamed Lamine.
The Harambee Stars international shot-stopper Boniface Oluoch was forced to deny Alger’s dribbling wizard Ben Yahyia seven minutes later.
At the other end in the 55th minute, Alger veteran winger Qualid Arji’s corner-kick was headed just wide of the target by Haron Shakava.
Minutes after, K’Ogalo were reduced to 10-men when Joash Onyango was red carded after picking up a second booking.
Gor continued to press, with George Odhiambo shooting wide and Lamine again making a great stop, this time from Tuyisenge’s rasping drive.
But, with neither team able to break the deadlock, goalless was how it ended.
CAF Confederation Cup Results:
Group A
At Dormaa, Ghana
Aduana Stars (GHA) 3 (Ikama 21, Amankwah 49, Asamoah 90+5) Raja Casablanca (MAR) 3 (Benhalib 11, 61, Mabidi 39)
At Kinshasa
V Club (COD) 3 (Ngudikama 48, 58, Muzinga 71) ASEC Mimosas (CIV) 1 (Badie 19-pen)
Group B
At Beira, Mozambique
UD Songo (MOZ) 0 Renaissance Berkane (MAR) 2 (El Kaabi 64, 89)
At Omdurman, Sudan
Al Hilal (SUD) v Al Masry (EGY) 1opm EAT
Group C
At Brazzaville
CARA (CGO) 3 (Louamba 14, Kivutuka 17, Liema 19) Enyimba (NGR) 0
At Bamako
Djoliba (MLI) v Williamsville (CIV) 10pm EAT
Group D
At Nairobi
Gor Mahia (KEN) 0 USM Alger (ALG) 0
At Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Young Africans (TAN) 0 Rayon Sports (RWA) 0
Note: Group winners and runners-up qualify for quarter-finals
