NAIROBI, April 19 -- Kenyans hailed the progression of Gor Mahia FC to the CAF Confederations Cup group stages on Thursday, celebrating the club for defying all odds to eliminate South African side, SuperSport United.
Shortly before 10pm local time the record 16-time domestic league winners almost broke the Internet when the final whistle of their second leg play-off went in Pretoria to confirm their qualification.
Despite losing 2-1 at the Lucas Moripe Stadium, Gor advanced on the away goals rule with the tie ending 2-2 on aggregate. becoming the first Kenyan outfit since 1994 to qualify for the group stages of a CAF competition.
Without live broadcast in Kenya, social media provided the ideal platform as local fans went crazy online with tributes to Gor, flooding the Internet all night long and through Thursday.
The feat was even more remarkable considering the club departed Nairobi for the return clash on the eve of the game and visa hitches denied them the services of top scorer, Jacques Tuyisenge and Ivorian forward, Ephrem Guikan, who were refused travel documents to South Africa.
Cash-strapped Gor were forced to rely on the last minute donation of 30 air tickets and 10,000 U.S. dollars in cash from Nairobi Governor, Mike Sonko, to make the trip.
"I understand Gor are through to the group stages of the CAF Confederations Cup. Congratulations and I will continue to offer my support to the team until we win this cup," Sonko posted on Twitter moments after the final whistle.
Delighted Gor fans, famously known as the Green Army and other local football enthusiasts, posted congratulatory messages as they toasted an epic moment for the long suffering Kenyan football.
The last time Gor played South African opposition in a continental match was in 1993 when they eliminated Hellenic FC, another Pretoria based side, on away goals after 3-3 aggregate score to qualify for the defunct CAF Cup Quarter Finals.
It was a case of history repeating itself but in the intervening period, the domestic titans went through almost 20 years of turmoil before they recovered their groove after the turn of this decade to win four of the last five Kenyan Premier League titles.
On Wednesday, interim coach, Kaitano Tembo decided to give some of their key players a break but odd were still stuck against Gor which remain the only Kenyan outfit to win a CAF title when they lifted the 1987 Cup Winners Cup (Mandela Cup).
The Kenyan champions have had an event-filled continental campaign this season, exiting the top tier CAF Champions League at the first round after a bitterly contested 1-0 away loss to Tunisian giants, Esperance de Tunis after the home leg ended 0-0 on aggregate.
That relegated them to the Confed Cup play-off and without a title partner compounded by the visa hitches, their trip to Pretoria almost aborted but in the end, they held on to make the group phase and a guaranteed 270,000 U.S. dollars income.
With three fellow East African sides, Yanga SC (Tanzania), Rayon Sports (Rwanda) and Al Hilal (Sudan) also making the 16-team draw, Gor under the tutelage of British head coach, Dylan Kerr, also have the additional task of being regional flag bearers at the competition.
Their stunning progress ignited debate on the management of Kenyan clubs with Gor struggling to make ends meet despite their recent success on the domestic, regional and now, continental front.
"Gor fought against all odds especially financial setbacks, these guys didn't even have enough money for the flight to South Africa for the match. As I say we have talent in Kenya we just have the wrong people managing the talents," Bryan Kabugi remarked on Facebook.
Their culture of surviving on handouts from politicians and sponsorship monies was mocked by some while others called on the club to ride on their continental campaign to implement programs aimed at making the club financially self-sustaining.
"The way Gor is yapping all over the social media because of the 270,000 dollars, I have come to realize their main target was that money alone. It's like they are now satisfied, what they have forgotten is that group stages is just around and they should plan on how they will get to the finals so as to bring back their 80s glory," Weldon Kiptoo noted.
The critics though did not stop their diehard supporters from cheering their progress and goading eternal domestic rivals and 12-time league winners, AFC Leopards SC who were knocked out of the first round of the 2018 Confed Cup by FOSA Juniors of Madagascar.
"I will tell you this for free. Gor is not a village club. I was only three when they shook the foundations of African football by winning the Mandela Cup," Gabriel Oguda goaded in one of the dozens of social media posts Gor supporters fired towards their Leopards arch rivals.
"I'm turning 35 next month, and the only thing they (Leopards) have won since then are certain regional tin cups against teams that my grandmother's cat, Midusa, would out run with his eyes closed," Oguda added.
As the debate rages on, what is not in doubt is Gor's continental run has provided Kenyan football with a tonic with the country still struggling to repair its two biggest stadiums in Nairobi - Nyayo and Kasarani - in time to host international matches.
The repairs and lack of other planned stadia development cost Kenya the hosting rights of the 2018 Africa Home Nations Championships that went to Morocco in September last year. Enditem
柴静首次英语采访献给卡梅隆 被赞"强悍的访问者"
牛人超强英文解说:10分钟了解中国(视频)
听力视频:巩俐戛纳宣布新片计划 将参与好莱坞制作
英语视频听力:黄河壶口瀑布吸引游客前往
英语听力视频:希腊传奇人物Manolis Glezos
林书豪搞怪视频:教你如何上哈佛(中英)
TED艺术类:从达尔文进化论解释美的体验
英美大不同相声版(视频)
英语听力:美国熊孩子如何看热门视频—复仇者联盟
英语听力:中国羽毛球男队完胜韩国 连续五夺汤姆斯杯
视频:美国副总统拜登、国务卿克林顿设宴迎习近平访美
英语听力视频:西藏先心病儿童来京手术
教师的烦恼(视频)
英语听力视频:舞者们加紧进行奥林匹克运动会排练
英语听力视频:摇滚巨星将参加伦敦奥运会
英语听力视频:俄罗斯的艺术工艺品中心
英语听力:从A到Z解读英国女王伊莉莎白二世
英语听力:殿堂级吃货必看-舌尖上的中国
英语听力视频:4分钟了解200个国家200多年发展史
英语听力:美国熊孩子如何看热门视频:桂肉粉挑战
英语听力:中国南方多地遭遇强降雨袭击
英语听力:奥巴马在巴纳德学院毕业典礼上的讲话
同传现场:胡锦涛夏威夷会见奥巴马谈双边关系(视频)
英语听力:雷霆大胜湖人4-1进西区决赛
李开复俞敏洪电视英语携手亮相 幽默教学
英语听力:世界最高电视塔在东京开放
英语听力:美国19岁男生为同性恋婚姻的辩护(视频)
英语听力:福尔摩斯代言捷豹的采访(双语视频)
英语听力视频:新发现揭开2012年世界末日的神话
世界经济论坛东亚峰会即将在泰国举行
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |