What a night, what a team, what great fans, what a win!

Let the chroniclers update their records so it can reflect in the annals of history that it was a high noon in the Caf Confederations Cup pitting the classy Gor Mahia against the oil prospectors from the land of Jonas Savimbi Petro Atltico de Luanda on the night of March 16 at Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi.

With the roaring approval of their feared 12th man, the K’Ogalo lads showed grit rarely seen in these our neck of the woods, when although two men down, they took the battle right to their opponents’ doorstep time and again. What a night, what a win!

The cliff-hanger reminded me of another match from another generation when the self same K’Ogalo faced some football wizards from Benin, AS Dragons FC de L’oueme Dragons in the 1987 Africa Cup Winners Cup also known as the Nelson Mandela Cup.

By my estimation, this was the toughest match Gor played on their way to winning the cup.

With their Nigerian import Peter Rufai pulling all manner of acrobatic saves in goal, you could hear the proverbial pin drop as the mammoth Kenyan crowd at the Nyayo Stadium was cowed into silence.

However, cometh the hour, cometh the man. Peter Dawo saved the day for us on that gloomy Saturday.

Three decade later, Rwandan hitman Jacques Tuyisenge would romp his way into the club’s Hall of Fame when his penalty secured us safe sailing.

Not that the remaining minutes were any better. With the coach banished to the terraces, the Gor Mahia gang fought like an army without a commander.

And they fought well. As the fans found the seats too hot to stay calm, they were on their feet, some cheering on while others cursed like a ship wrecked drunken sailor whenever a Petro player touched the ball or the men in black made a bad call.

At the end of the day Gor carried the day giving the fans the perfect excuse o engage in song and dance.

However, the club management should not rest in their laurels. A football team is as good as the last match won. As far as it goes, the Petro win is a blip in the rear view mirror.

Press reports indicate that we have been handed a team from the Royal Kingdom of Morocco. Coach Hassan Otkay has admitted that he knows zilch about the King Mohammed VI’s subjects.

However, a general view will tell you that nearly all north Africans prefer the same kind of football — very fast, technical and meant to wear down the opponents in the early stages.

Meanwhile, an underhand deal there and a bit of Chinese accounting at the goalmouth helps spice the tie for the north Africans.

The trick is to give them a hiding in the first leg in Nairobi and fight for an early goal in Rabat or wherever in the Moroccan desert they will have us play.

Just as in 1987 I believe Gor Mahia has the squad- and the mental strength- to join the high table of its peers in continental football.