CT City too hot for Congo’s Otôho
CAPE Town City were off to a flying start in their CAF (Confederation of African Football) Champions League campaign after running out 2-0 winners over AS Otôho (Congo) at the Athlone Stadium yesterday afternoon.
The match was a preliminary first round, first leg encounter. City will play the return leg next week at the Stade Alphonse Massamba-debat in Brazzaville, Congo.
City, without head coach Eric Tinkler on the bench, started on a promising note at Athlone Stadium, their second match there in five days. Last Tuesday, City produced a belowpar performance against Sekhukhune United in a goalless draw.
Assistant coach Diogo Peral took charge, while Tinkler was seated in the grandstand.
Yesterday’s team for the club’s CAF Champions League debut showed three changes with Craig Martin, Marc van Heerden and Thabo Nodada included in the run-on XI.
Darwin González, City’s Venezuelan
striker, sounded an early warning with a curling shot from range, but his effort flew over the crossbar. Next, his striking partner Khanyisa Mayo was in on the act, and though he scored, he was ruled offside and the goal was disallowed.
Despite dominating the first half, City were unable to open their scoring account. City captain and defender Thamsanqa Mkhize caught the eye with several penetrative runs down the left flank, and his efforts paid dividends in the second half when central midfielder Taahir Goedeman scored.
Goedeman cracked the opposition defence with a goal six minutes into the half. He turned a goalmouth cross from Mkhize into the net for his first goal for the club.
Eight minutes later, former Orlando Pirates defender Marc van Heerden also scored his first goal, with a header, as City doubled their lead.
In an effort to consolidate the team’s defence Goedeman was replaced by Mduduzi Mdantsane. Other substitutions saw Mpho Makola and Wayde Lekay come on for Craig Martin and Mayo.