Little-known Mauritius side AS Port-Louis on Sunday eliminated series favourites Tusker from the CAF Champions League at the preliminary round stage.
Port Louis won the second leg match 2-1 at home in Cureripe and 3-2 on aggregate.
Ivorian striker Ephrem Guikan managed a double late, late in the match to cancel out with interest an earlier strike by Ugandan Hashim Ssempala for Tusker that looked to have settled the affair.
The brewers will however blame themselves for throwing away their lead and victory, as both goals came from defensive mistakes.
Ssempala found the back of the net in the first quarter with a superb thunderbolt that Port-Louis goalkeeper Louis Frederick just couldn’t get to.
The hosts responded with renewed urgency, and Tusker goalkeeper David Okello was forced to make a one-hand fingertip save three minutes later to prevent the dangerous Guikan from restoring parity.
Towering head and shoulders above the Mauritian team players in terms of physical size and experience, the brewers looked well in control after seemingly having come to terms with the hosts style of play.
The Kenyan representatives could have wrapped up matters after the restart but Noah Wafula, showing good awareness and pace, just could not match them with accuracy.
Port-Louis then turned the match on its head in the last seven minutes. On 83 minutes Guikan, scorer in the 1-1 first leg draw in Nairobi a week ago, opened his day’s account, Adrien “Lightning” Lafoudre setting him up with a beautiful cross for him to calmly slot home. He was at it again for his double and match winner with a precise header six minutes later.
Port-Louis advance to the round of 32 where they are drawn to face Sudanese giants Al Hilal from March 10.
