NAIROBI, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan champions Gor Mahia FC will go for all-out attack when they travel to face their Malawian counterparts, Nyasa Bullet FC next week in the second leg of their CAF Champions League preliminary round tie.
Gor left it late to nick a 1-0 advantage in the first leg in Nairobi on Wednesday night with substitute Bernard Ondiek popping up with the winner in the 94th minute to finally break Nyasa's stubborn resistance.
Club captain, Harun Shakava, admitted the visitors gave them a huge scare at the Moi International Stadium with his team unsettled by the early loss of their top scorer Jacques Tuyisenge to injury in the 11th minute of the encounter.
"It was a really tough game, we never expected it to go that way. The truth of the matter is we sweated for this victory," the relieved captain remarked on Thursday evening.
He rued the wasted chances in the first half. Shakava further conceded the Malawians' 4-4-2 system nullified their attacking threat as Gor look to advance to the first round of the continental club football showpiece for the second successive year.
"I think we were also affected by the injury sustained by Tuyisenge as he was our marksman upfront. It was unfortunate that he had to exit the game early," Shakava said.
Gor played their first game since being thrashed by Premier League side Everton FC 4-0 three weeks ago at Goodison Park in an international friendly. Gor Mahia made history as the first Kenyan outfit to face an English side in England.
USM de Loum of Cameroon or Lobi Stars of Nigeria awaits Gor should they complete victory on aggregate against Nyasa in Malawi. Gor advanced to the first round of the Champions League last season, losing a hotly contested two-legged clash to Esperance de Tunis 0-1 with the latter marching on to win their third continental crown when they outclassed record winners, Al Ahly of Egypt in the final.
On Wednesday, Gor played Nyasa under the command of interim head coach and their 1995 domestic league winning captain, Zedekiah Otieno, who succeeded Dylan Kerr after he parted ways with the club.
At a press conference earlier in the week, club chairman Ambrose Rachier, announced over 50 candidates applied for the top technical bench position with the new boss expected to be unveiled next week.
On Tuesday, Kenyan cup winners, Kariobangi Sharks FC took a giant step toward advancing to the first round of the Confed Cup on their continental debut when they whipped visiting Arta Solar FC of Djibouti 6-1 in Nairobi.
