Mixed results as Kenyan clubs battle in continental football

Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-12 20:30:39|Editor: Jiaxin
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By John Kwoba

NAIROBI, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's representative in the Africa's Confederation Cup (CAF) AFC Leopards are holding onto hope they will win the second leg away and qualify for the second round of the competition.

Head coach Robert Matano was frustrated with the 1-1 draw they picked against visiting Malagasy side Fosa Juniors but promised to cancel the Madagascan side's advantage by beating them at their own backyard.

"We will win the second leg, I assure you. We played very badly and I feel we did not give 100 per cent. At least I know what to do in the return leg and also I know a bit about our opponents," Matano said on Monday in Nairobi.

However, his rival and Fosa head coach Bob Kootwijk will not let him have his way saying he will improve his squad and way of play having been impressed with the result.

"I want to finish off this job at home. We hold the advantage going home and it pleases me. We played well and organized in the defence and feel we should have won with the chances we got. We played very well especially in containing their long balls and for the second leg, we will be more dominant," said the Dutch tactician.

Yusuf Mainge was the first to score for the hosts with Rado Mbolasoa Adrianinosy cancelling out the lead.

On Saturday, Kenya champions, Gor Mahia, began their campaign for Africa's Champions League with victory as they cruised past Equatorial Guinea side Leones Vegetarianos 2-0 in Machakos, about 60km east of Nairobi.

Goals from Kevin Omondi and Ivorian-import Ephraim Guikan in either half handed Gor the advantage ahead of the second leg in 10 days.

"I think we really played today (Saturday) and pressed right from the start, created chances and it is only a pity that we could not score past two. Overall, we performed really well but the tie is not over we need to focus on a better second leg," said Gor Mahia's coach Dylan Kerr.

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