Late Morris Penalty Saves Durban City After Costly Misses In CAF Thriller

Durban City secured a 3-1 victory over Mauritian side AS Port Louis 2000 in the first leg of their CAF Confederation Cup second preliminary round clash at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday, but head coach Eric Tinkler may still rue his side’s missed opportunities heading into the second leg.

Durban City signaled their intent early, eager to build a healthy lead on home soil. The host side broke the deadlock in the 16th minute when Haashim Domingo struck a left-footed effort from inside the box, which took an awkward deflection into the net. The former Cape Town City attacker, reunited with Tinkler for a second coaching spell, capitalized after Jean Lubamba flicked down a precise header into his path.

Two minutes later, Alou Doumbia nearly doubled the advantage with a powerful long-range strike, but AS Port Louis goalkeeper Julian Chung tipped the ball over the crossbar for a corner.

Durban City continued to dominate, aware of the threat posed by an AS Port Louis side that eliminated Botswana powerhouses Jwaneng Galaxy in the previous round. On the stroke of halftime, Bandile Shandu—a CAF Confederation Cup finalist with Orlando Pirates in 2022—delivered a pin-point cross to Lubamba. However, the hero of Durban City’s Nedbank Cup final triumph last season miscued his improvised volley, sending the shot wide.

How Did Eric Tinkler’s Side Solidify the Lead?

Durban City struck immediately after the restart. Just seconds after the second half started, Gaston Sirino picked up the ball and drilled a crisp shot past Chung to make it 2-0 in the 46th minute, bringing welcome relief to Tinkler on the touchline.

However, AS Port Louis pulled a crucial goal back in the 57th minute. Durban City goalkeeper Frederick Asare spilled a cross into the danger zone, allowing Louis Yowan to react quickly and tap home a vital away goal for the visitors.

Late Drama and Tashreeq Morris Penalty

Durban City squandered another golden opportunity to extend their cushion in the 80th minute. Luphumlo Sifumba whipped an inch-perfect cross across the goalmouth, but Lubamba failed to make contact from close range, leaving Tinkler holding his head in disbelief. Minutes later, Fezile Gcaba unleashed a thunderous strike that rattled the crossbar.

The home side finally found their third goal in stoppage time. Lubamba was brought down inside the penalty area by goalkeeper Chung, prompting Malagasy referee Hery Tiana to point to the spot.

Substitute Tashreeq Morris stepped up and coolly dispatched the penalty into the bottom corner in the 93rd minute to seal the 3-1 victory.

While Durban City carry a two-goal cushion into next weekend’s second leg in Mauritius, whether those missed chances come back to haunt them remains to be seen when the sides meet again on Sunday.