Muhsin Ertugral secured a winning start to his Cape Town City post, guiding them to a 1-0 victory over Kaizer Chiefs at DHL Stadium on Sunday.

Darwin Gonzalez scored the only goal of the game in the second half, sprinting clear before beating Chiefs goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma. This victory lifted City to 12th place in the Betway Premiership with 14 points from 11 matches.

Ertugral was appointed as head coach on 2 January, following the departure of Eric Tinkler last month. Expectations were high for City this season, having signed several high-profile players, including Fortune Makaringe, Kamohelo Mokotjo, and Haashim Domingo.  

Ertugral boasts a rich history with Chiefs, having previously won numerous trophies with the club, including the CAF Confederation Cup in 2001. His last league game in South Africa was five years ago with Maritzburg United (now Durban City), where they lost 2-0 to Chippa United on 19 January 2019.

The game at DHL Stadium began at a frantic pace, with both teams vying for control. In the 17th minute, Chiefs came close to opening the scoring when Mdu Shabalala’s left-footed shot was saved by Darren Keet following a cross from Christian Saile. Despite the early intensity, the first half ended goalless.

The breakthrough came six minutes into the second half. Chiefs conceded possession, and City swiftly counter-attacked. Gonzalez raced clear and calmly slotted the ball past Bvuma to score his first league goal of the season.

Shabalala remained a threat, but Fasika Idumba made a crucial block to deny him a clear shot on goal. Chiefs introduced substitutes Mfundo Vilakazi, Bradley Cross, and Samkelo Zwane in an attempt to salvage a result.

Ashley Du Preez was presented with an opportunity when Shabalala played him through, but Lorenzo Gordinho, playing against his former club, made a vital block to prevent an equalizer.

Ertugral’s passion remained evident throughout the match. He animatedly gestured towards the referee when Zwane’s challenge on Gonzalez went unpunished. After the final whistle, he celebrated exuberantly, a trademark celebration dating back to his first stint with Chiefs in 1999.