Tusker assistant captain rues costly mistakes in disappointing draw against Al Ahli Madani

Tusker assistant captain Tom Teka has attributed the Brewers’ disappointing 2-2 draw against Sudanese side Al Ahli Wad Madani in the CAF Confederation Cup to costly mistakes that ultimately denied them a first-leg victory.Tusker appeared firmly in control of Sunday’s first preliminary round encounter at Kigali Pele Stadium after racing into a two-goal lead, only to surrender their advantage in a dramatic second half.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsNigerian striker Victor Mbaoma was the star of the first half, scoring twice to put the Kenyan side in a commanding position heading into the interval.Mbaoma opened the scoring from the penalty spot inside the opening 11 minutes before doubling Tusker’s advantage with a well-taken header on the stroke of half-time.##NAJAVA_MECA_9936487##With a two-goal cushion, the Brewers appeared destined to return home with a vital advantage ahead of the second leg. However, Al Ahli Madani staged a spirited fightback after the restart.Al-Samany Al-Sawi pulled one back in the 58th minute, breathing life into the Sudanese side’s comeback bid. CAF CC:Tusker surrender two-goal lead to settle for draw against Sudanese sideTusker held on for much of the second half and looked set to secure victory, but Al-Sawi struck again deep into stoppage time to rescue a draw for the hosts.The late equaliser left Tusker frustrated, with Teka admitting that they had themselves to blame for failing to protect their advantage.“It’s the second-best result, of course not the best, because we expected maximum points and everyone is frustrated with the outcome. We made costly mistakes which resulted in the goals and proved the difference. It was two mistakes that cost us and we have ourselves to blame,” Teka said.Harambee Stars winger breaks Alexander Isak's record after scoring first LaLiga goalDespite the disappointment, the experienced defender remains optimistic about Tusker’s chances of progressing, arguing that the first leg has given them valuable insight into the Sudanese outfit ahead of the return fixture.“At least we now know the kind of opponent we are going to face back home, and we have to play much better, and hopefully we can get it all done,” he added.The result leaves the tie delicately poised, with Tusker needing to avoid defeat in the return leg to keep their qualification hopes alive. A 0-0 or 1-1 draw would be enough under the traditional away-goals rule only if that rule applies to the competition; otherwise, the aggregate score determines the winner, with extra time and penalties possible depending on CAF regulations.Former Harambee Stars midfielder obtains UEFA A coaching license in BelgiumTusker will host Madani in the return leg on 12 Sunday, September at Nyayo Stadium, knowing victory would send them into the second preliminary round.Should they advance, Tusker will face the winner of the tie between AS Kigali of Rwanda and Al-Hilal Benghazi of Libya in the next round.