Record Kenyan champions Gor Mahia have been eliminated from the CAF Champions League by Egyptian heavyweights Al Ahly Cairo after a 3-0 thumping (6-0 on aggregate) in a match played at the 75,000-capacity Cairo International Stadium on Saturday.Rebi Salim, Wessam Abou and Taher Mohammed scored for the North African giantsGor Mahia faced an uphill battle, having lost 3-0 in the first leg at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi the previous week.##NAJAVA_MECA_8350580##Coach Leonard Neiva had to contend with the absence of goalkeeper Kevin Omondi and Rooney Onyango, both of whom started the first leg in Nairobi.The two African giants began the match in a rather dull fashion, contrary to the expectations of many who had anticipated a fireworks-filled encounter, especially after the thrilling display witnessed in Nairobi a week ago.The first clear-cut chance of the match came in the 13th minute when a long ball from midfield found Percy Tau, putting him in a one-on-one situation with Gad Mathews, who was making his return to the Green Army. However, the goalkeeper reacted swiftly to neutralize the threat.AFC Leopards winger confirms move to Serbian clubMoments later, Mathews released Shariff Musa with a long ball from the back. The winger dribbled into the penalty area, but the Red Devils’ defenders were alert to smother the danger.As the game progressed, with most attacks breaking down before reaching the final third, Geoffrey Ochieng’, arguably Gor’s best player of the half, received a booking for a foul on Al Ahly’s Yahya El Idrissi.The CAF Champions League defending champions took the lead in the 23rd minute with an uncontested header from Rami Rabia, who was left unmarked after a corner kick.##NAJAVA_MECA_8350571##The Egyptian giants nearly added a second, but their counter-attacks and subsequent set-pieces were comfortably gathered by goalkeeper Mathews.The pace and contrasting styles of play became more apparent at the start of the second half.The North Africans created several clear chances in search of a second goal, while Gor Mahia stuck to their direct approach.Former Gor Mahia target aiming to clinch University Games world title with Kenyatta UniversityAs the match gained momentum, the Red Devils continued to dominate and create more goal-scoring opportunities.It was not long before a misplaced pass from Alpha Onyango allowed Yahya El Idrissi to break through. He rounded the onrushing goalkeeper and squared the ball to Wessam Abou Ali, who slotted it into an empty net.After the goals, a quiet spell followed before both teams made substitutions, with Al Ahly benefiting by increasing the pace of the match in search of more goals.##NAJAVA_MECA_8350673##The hosts looked dangerous on the attack and nearly extended their lead in the 77th minute, but Mathews rose highest to tip a threatening ball over the bar for a corner kick.Three minutes later, Rebi Salim wasted a golden opportunity to change the scoreline. He found himself eye to eye with Mathews but the forward chose to dive in an attempt to deceive the referee for a penalty, resulting in a yellow card instead.Al Ahly continued to create chances in the closing stages, applying constant pressure on the Kenyan champions.Why Rooney Onyango will be benched against Al AhlyThat pressure paid off in the 89th minute when Taher Mohammed beat his marker, Ochieng, to score from a tight angle.With their continental campaign over, Gor Mahia will now shift their focus to the FKF Premier League.
