Missed chances could cost City
CAPE Town City may rue missing a host of chances in a 0-0 MTN8 firstleg home semi-final against Swallows FC at Athlone Stadium yesterday.
The home team dominated possession and had a plethora of opportunities, particularly during the final 10 minutes when they raided the Swallows goal, but could not find a way to get the ball into the back of the net as the visitors hung on for a goalless draw to take back to Dobsonville for the second leg in a month’s time.
City made one change from their midweek league victory over Royal AM as new signing Khanyisa Mayo started ahead of Douglas Mapfumo.
Swallows coach Brandon Truter also made just the solitary change with Strydom Wambi coming into the Dube Birds’ line-up.
City hit the upright twice during the first half when Abbubaker Mobara found himself unmarked collecting a Mayo cross, but the defender could only manage to direct his strike against the post.
City coach Eric Tinkler was up on his feet already just before halftime when Mayo struck a pile-driver at the Swallows goal, but Swallows goalkeeper Virgil Vries, who was in superb form all afternoon, tipped the ball over the bar to force a corner.
There was another opportunity from the set-piece to open the scoring, but Taariq Fielies headed the resultant corner wide.
Swallows had a couple of chances before the interval, but Khethukuthula Ndlovu could not trouble Hugo Marques in the City goal. Equally, Junaid Sait was also not on target with his header.
Tinkler’s talk at halftime would certainly have revolved around his team pushing forward in search of that all-important goal to take into the second leg, and his charges certainly responded by being more creative in the final third.
However, they were not incisive as they lacked killer instinct at crucial times. Vries, though, was also in top form as he made another superb save with his knees on the line shortly after the break.
City playmaker Mduduzi Mdantsane was in control during the second half, pulling the strings in the midfield and making telling passes as the home team continued to pile on the pressure.
Swallows held on for dear life with Vries called on to make another save from Abdul Jeleel Ajagun, before Craig Martin missed a chance to be the hero for City in the dying minutes.
The visitors almost delivered a sucker punch right at the death on the counter-attack, but Fielies averted the danger for City as the teams remained deadlocked after 90 minutes.