NAIROBI, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania clubs will have to wait for another year before trying their luck in the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) competitions.
Kenyan clubs Bandari and Gor Mahia were ousted from CAF, thrusting the sport deeper in the murky as sponsorship and a government ban on betting firms have led to a near shutdown of football.
Motema Pembe beat Kenyan champions Gor Mahia 2-1 in Kinshasa to progress 3-2 on aggregate having played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Nairobi last weekend.
On the other hand, Bandari lost by a solitary goal at home in Nairobi against Guinea's Horoya to exit the tournament on a 5-2 aggregate loss. Bandari gave up many scoring chances especially in the first half as they sought a first-ever qualification to the group phase of continental football.
"We should have wrapped the game in the first half but we were made to pay," said Bernard Mwalala, the Bandari coach, "I can't blame my players so much because we are not experienced at this level. Congrats to Horoya and for us now is to try and get back to this competition again in 2020."
Fans of Gor Mahia thought they were out of the woods as they broke the deadlock with Wellington Ochieng scoring the important away goal to cancel out the goal they gave away in the first leg. But Motema Pembe hit back through Vinny Bongonga and Junior Kone.
Elsewhere, Algerian debutants Paradou wrote history as they reached the CAF Confederation Cup group stage, defeating Ugandan giants Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) 4-1 in Algiers on Sunday.
The Algerians qualify to the mini-league stage with the same result on aggregate after managing an away barren draw last weekend in Kampala.
Paradou, who are having their maiden CAF campaign, continued their "giant killers" reputation to reach the group stage in style, after eliminating the likes of Guinea's Kamsar, record CAF Confederation Cup champions Sfaxien of Tunisia and KCCA.
Another Ugandan side Kampala Proline lost 2-0 to El Nasr of Libya. The two sides had drawn 2-2 in the first leg. The Libyans go through on 4-2 aggregate.
Egyptian debutants Pyramids continued their fairytale run as they reached the CAF Confederation Cup group stage in their maiden continental campaign. Pyramids defeated Tanzanian giants Young Africans 3-0 on Sunday in Cairo to progress with an aggregate 5-1 victory, having achieved an away 2-1 victory in Mwanza last weekend.
The qualified teams are Pyramids, El Masry (Egypt), Enyimba, Rangers (Nigeria), RS Berkane, HUSA (Morocco), Nouadhibou (Mauritania), Horoya (Guinea), Zanaco (Zambia), San Pedro (Cote d'Ivoire), El Nasr (Libya), Djoliba (Mali), Motema Pembe (DR Congo), Bidvest Wits (South Africa), Paradou (Algeria).
