By Nhlakanipho Mnqayi
Durban City FC got their Confederation of African Football (CAF) Confederations Cup second preliminary round off to a flying start as they look to qualify for the group stages of this competition.
City got an impressive 3-1 victory over Port-Louis 2000 of Mauritius in the first leg at Moses Mabhida Stadium on a Sunday afternoon.
The home side put on a dominant display to secure a solid advantage heading into the second leg. They were rewarded with goals from Hashim Domingo in the 16th minute, Gaston Sirino in the 46th minute, and a penalty from substitute Tashreeq Morris in the 90th minute.
Their clinical finishing proved too much for the visitors from Mauritius, who managed to pull one back but could not contain City’s attacking threat.
Durban City head coach Eric Tinkler expressed mixed feelings following his side’s 3-1 victory over AS Port Louis.
“As much as I’m happy with the win, I’m obviously not entirely happy with the result. Given how we defended against them, I think we were very wasteful, especially in the first half,” Tinkler said.
The former Orlando Pirates and Cape Town City coach was particularly disappointed with the goal his side conceded and the missed opportunities throughout the match.
“In the second half, we got the second goal and then complacency set in. That’s complacency you can’t allow in this competition, especially against teams that should realistically not be competing against you,” he added.
The 3-1 result gives Durban City a vital two-goal cushion and the win puts them firmly in control of the tie. A solid defensive display in the return leg will be enough to see them progress to the next round of the competition.
They will now shift focus to the second leg away to Port-Louis, on Sunday 25 October, at the National Sports Complex where they will look to finish the job and book their place in the group stages of the CAF Confederations Cup.
