Confed Cup: Durban City bag vital first-leg win
by Kickoff writer · KickOffDurban City secured a 3-1 victory over AS Port Luis 2000 in the CAF Confederation Cup second preliminary round first-leg at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Teams: Durban City v AS Port-Louis 2000
Result: 2-1
Scorers: Domingo (15'), Sirino (46'), Morris (90+4')
Coach Eric Tinkler chased his first win in charge of City after his debut in midweek against AmaZulu in the Betway Premiership ended in defeat as the Team of Choice looked for a big first-leg advantage towards a spot in the group stages, while Port Luis targeted another upset after axing Jwaneng Galaxy of Botswana.
The Team of Choice hit the ground running in the 15th minute as Alou Doumbia knocked a cross from Siphamandla Ncanana back into the area and Haashim Domingo was on hand to smash in the top corner.
Doumbia looked to go on himself four minutes from setting up the opener and latched onto a high ball on the edge of the area to unleash a powerful a first-time volley, but he was unable to find the net and parried.
Port Luis didn’t impose themselves on the home team but were rattled by the strike and remained open at the back as City threatened another later on when a glancing header by captain Ncanana rolled wide of the mark.
Second Half:
The Team of Choice made a strong start to the second half and extended their lead when former Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Gaston Sirino came short on the near side in the area and finished from a tight angle.
Port Luis were not out of it and halved the tally nine minutes in the second stanza after Louis Roussety capitalised on a spill from goalkeeper Frederic Asare and slotted in the bottom-corner of the net.
The clash didn’t run away from the host though who maintained momentum before making a double substitution in the final quarter where Fezile Gcaba and Tashreeq Morris came in for Bandile Shandu and Sirino.
City failed to make the encounter safe in the last ten minutes when Thabo Nodada combined with Gcaba out on the right and cutback for Jean Lubumba to tap in, but the forward fired wide and missed target.
The Team of Choice eventually made sure of the victory a minute into stoppage time as Morris fired in from the penalty spot after a foul in the area, with the final score 3-1 and the second-leg taken place next weekend.