Influential forward Nicholas Kipkirui was twice on target as Gor Mahia dumped Burundian side Aigle Noir out of the CAF Champions League in a 5-1 win on Sunday, August 25, 2019, at the MISC Kasarani.
K’ogallo needed an outright win to be guaranteed of progression to the first round. The Kenyan Premier League defending champions thus showed intent from the onset with a Kenneth Muguna delivery forcing defender Hamza Hitimana to an own goal in the ninth minute.
Gor Mahia kept up the pressure and deservedly got the second courtesy of a well-worked setpiece that was finished off by Nicholas Kipkirui in the 18th minute.
Kipkirui got his second in the 37th minute, making the most of miscommunication in the guests’ defense to tap in from close range. The first half ended 3-0.
Upon resumption, Gor Mahia didn’t seem to take the foot off the pedal, with Dickson Ambundo notching the fourth in the 61st minute.
Boniface Omondi, who had been running the flanks all through, then put the match past the guests reach with a fifth in the 67th minute, a goal that all but sealed Aigle Noir’s fate.
Benjamin Gasongo then pulled one back in the 73rd minute for the visiting side but it did little to alter the outcome of the match.
Gor Mahia will now face the winner of yet another preliminary round tie pitting AS SONIDEP (Niger) against USM Alger (Algeria).
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