Zico optimistic: K’Ogalo stand-in boss happy to take slim lead to Nyasa Bullets next week

At the highest level, no advantage can be frowned upon, Gor Mahia coach Zedekah Otieno insisted after Bernard Ondiek stepped off the bench to net a late winner over Nyasa Big Bullets in the first leg of their CAF Champions League preliminary round match.

“It was very important that we won our home fixture and even better that we kept a clean sheet. Maybe other people expected more goals which is good but I was impressed by the solidity of our performance despite just a couple of weeks in training and after a grueling 2018 season,” said Zico.

The hosts had the better share of possession for the better part of the match but resolute defending by the Malawian side allowed them only a handful of chances in front of goal. In the dying moments of the match, however, Gor’s incessant attacks paid off when Humphrey Mieno set Ondiek up for the winner.

“I believe we will be even better in the second leg because we will have learned more about our opponents and they will have to come out and play, giving us the kind of spaces we can take advantage of with the quality of players we have in our team,” Zico added.

The second leg is slated for December 5, in Blantyre, Malawi.

Meanwhile, Bullets’ CEO Fleetwood Haiya has challenged the Kenyan champions and clubs drawn from the East and Southern Africa region to consider commercialising their operations.

Haiya noted that for the two regions to match the success of their counterparts from the North and West African regions in the Caf Champions League and the Confederations Cup, they will have to switch from the normal running of a community club to making extra profits.

North and West African clubs have dominated in the two continental tournaments with their success being linked to their professional way of doing things by going commercial, which brings extra revenue and thus capacity to meet the demands of modern football.

“The only way we can match and compete with our friends from the North and West is to commercialise the way we run our clubs. Gone are the days when running a club as the property of a community would bring success at the Caf level. If you look at the recent winners of the two tournaments, they have commercialised and have the best players and coaches around. I urge Gor Mahia to follow suit and exploit different revenue streams,” said Haiya.

“At Nyasa, have commercialised and I can confirm it’s paying dividends. We were in Tanzania last week and Simba have also switched and they are doing good. It’s possible.”