NAIROBI, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Gor Mahia Football Club will represent Kenya in the 2019 CAF Champions League after securing the domestic league crown on Saturday with a 2-0 victory over bitter arch rivals AFC Leopards in Nairobi.
The most decorated club in the league made history by bagging their record 17th domestic crown with six games to spare, thanks to first half goals from Boniface Omondi and Bernard Ondiek.
In a dramatic first half played in Nairobi, Leopards saw top scorer Whyvonne Isuza miss a penalty with the heated game only resuming after a lengthy stoppage when his teammates and fans protested Gor's second goal.
Victory saw British head coach Dylan Kerr's side extend their tally at the top of the Kenyan Premier League to 71 points, an unassailable 20-point lead over second-placed Bandari FC (51) who beat Nzoia Sugar FC 1-0 in Mombasa with Leopards (48) remaining third.
Gor supporters started celebrating their fifth league success in six seasons way before the final whistle in a frenetic encounter that was marred by crowd trouble in the first half before pandemonium broke out at full time.
Omondi picked up the ball outside the penalty area in the 31st minute and sent a fierce finish that wrong-footed Ezekiel Owade in the Leopards goal for the opener.
Seven minutes later, it was 2-0 when Omondi turned provider to lay a cut back to Ondiek to thump a finish from close range past Owade
The goal ignited protests among Leopards fans that felt their team was denied a free kick in the build up and after a lengthy hold up, plays resumed with seven minutes added at the end of the opening 45.
Soon after order was restored, Leopards were awarded a penalty which club top scorer Isuza stepped up to take but sent his effort over the bar, sending the Gor fans into frenzy.
Gor leave the country on Monday evening ahead of their CAF Confederations Cup second leg against USM Alger as they continue their quest to be the first Kenyan team to qualify for the quarters of the second-tier continental competition.
Leopards now see their league title drought extend to 21 years having last celebrated success in the domestic top flight in 1998.
