Kenya’s Gor Mahia will now enjoy a huge financial muscle, after qualifying for the next round of the CAF Confederation Cup tournament.
The team lost 2-1 to their hosts, Supersport United of South Africa, but advanced on away goal rule after winning the first leg in Kenya a fortnight ago.
The team will now take home approximately Sh27 million, which will be a huge boost considering their financial struggles in the recent past.
The team’s main sponsors Sportpesa withdrew their sponsorship early this year, leaving the team in a huge financial need. Before traveling to South Africa for the return leg, the team was stranded for lack of traveling tickets, after the government failed to provide them with any assistance.
It took Mike Sonko’s intervention to bail them out, paying their air tickets and other needs. The team will now have to wait for the draw that will be done on Saturday to know their next opponents, but will be happy with their performance in the last matches.
They become the first Kenyan team to qualify for the group stages of the tournament since 1994. Since its inception in 2004, the CAF Confederation Cup, officially named Total CAF Confederation Cup is the second tier club football competition in the continent behind the CAF Champions League.