A dominant display by Kaizer Chiefs earned them passage into the CAF Confederation Cup group phase following a 3-1 victory over AS Simba at a packed Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto on Sunday.
After a goalless first leg of this Second Preliminary Round away in Lumbumbashi, Amakhosi were spirited at home to seal a 3-1 aggregate win.
Chiefs went into battle without injured centre-back Inacio Miguel, making way for Aden McCarthy to return and partner Zitha Kwinika in central defence.
Wandile Duba watched from the stands as Etiosa Ighodaro spearheaded the Amakhosi attack, also in the absence of Khanyisa Mayo.
As both teams were still trying to settle into the contest, Simba goalkeeper Dida Alhassani punched a Glody Lilepo attempt right into the path of Ighodaro. The Nigerian made no mistake in burying the ball into the back of the net after just three minutes. It was his debut goal for Amakhosi, and it came on the continental stage.
Soon after, the visitors almost hit back, but Brandon Petersen did well to tip the ball over the crossbar after Jonathan Kinkela had pulled the trigger from distance.
The Soweto giants were dominating, and they were rewarded for that when Zitha Kwinika volleyed home a Mduduzi Shabalala free kick in the 14th minute.
Chiefs’ strength on setpieces came to the fore again when Glody Lilepo extended their advantage on 26 minutes. The lanky Congolese attacker headed in a corner kick delivery from Mfundo Vilakazi to punish Dida, who had brilliantly saved his low shot a minute earlier.
Seeking answers to Amakhosi’s relentlessness, Simba coach Daoula Lupembe was forced to tweak things in midfield with an early substitution by introducing Junior Nyongani for Mabenga Kazadi.
JOB DONE FOR CHIEFS IN THE FIRST HALF, MISSED CHANCES
Amakhosi were also forced to make changes of their own at halftime after Glody Lilepo was injured, with Pule Mmodi coming on for the DR Congo international.
Just after the restart, Vilakazi had his free kick going just over the bar as the Soweto giants continued to threaten from dead balls.
With no sense of urgency as Chiefs enjoyed what looked like a comfortable lead, Mmodi took long to strike while inside the box to allow Simba defenders to close in on him to blaze his effort over the bar.
Mmodi and Ighodaro were again slow after combining well to let another opportunity go begging after the visitors managed to recover.
Shortly after, in the 72nd minute, Ighodaro profited from some poor defending by the visitors, but was denied by the crossbar.
Dida was then forced to stretch and save Mmodi’s effort with 15 minutes to go before the visitors reduced arrears through Emmanuel Ntumba with five minutes remaining.
Mmodi continued with his casual approach to goal and beat a Simba defender and their goalkeeper, but his shot was blocked towards the end of the game.
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