Nairobi, Kenya, May 6- Gor Mahia started their CAF Confederation Cup campaign with a point away from home, holding hosts Rayon Sport to a 1-1 draw at a rain-drenched Stade de Kigali, Nyamirambo on Sunday evening.
Francis Kahata should have won the game for the record Kenyan Premier League champions eight minutes to time but he wasted a glorious opportunity one on one with the keeper off a Meddie Kagere cross.
Kagere broke the deadlock in the 10th minute scoring against his former employers but a well struck freekick from left-back Eric Rutanga quarter of an hour later drew the hosts level.
Back at his home turf, Kagere scored off a sweeping counter attack when he broke the offside trap to race into a George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo pass that split the defense into two.
Kagere was calm and collected as he rounded up keeper Eric Ndayishimiye before slotting into an empty net.
Gor had picked the move fast off the blocks from the goalkick after Ismaila Diarra’s shot from the right had gone wide.
Before that, Odhiambo had the first effort at goal with a half volley after Ndayishimiye’s punch off a corner fell kindly on his path at the edge of the box.
Six minutes after going ahead, Kagere almost turned provider with his overhead kick from the left finding Francis Kahata inside the box, but the midfielder’s header went wide.
Rayon however went back level in the 25th minute with Rutanga curling home a freekick from the edge of the box after Godfrey Walusimbi had fouled Mbondi Christ.
With the heavy rain falling, the pace of the game was hugely punctured but once it subsided, Gor should have re-taken the lead in the 37th minute but Kagere was denied by Ndayishimiye from close range after he raced into a loose ball.
In the second half the game became tougher with the soggy pitch due to the heavy rain making it difficult to move with the ball constantly getting dragged back in the patches of water.
But Gor almost went back ahead when Joash Onyango’s header from a corner came off the underside of the bar falling kindly into Ndayishimiye’s arms. Gor piled the pressure getting three corners in succession but none bore fruit.
They were almost made to pay on the hour mark when Mbondi found a loose ball inside the box but he blasted his shot over the bar with the defense caught off their feet.
Late on though, it was Gor who should have gone on to win. Kahata was picked out with a decent chipping pass by Kagere but after controlling the ball well, he struck wide with his weaker right foot one on one with Ndayishimiye.
Five minutes later, Gor had another opportunity when Jacques Tuyisenge who had been kept quiet by his countrymen most of the game powered through the left, played a decent cut back to Ernest Wendo but the midfielder took a heavy first touch allowing the defense to clear.
