Miguel’s misery! Chiefs pay for costly clearance flop

Kaizer chiefs

Johannesburg – A late goal after a blunder by Inacio Miguel condemned Kaizer Chiefs of South Africa to a 2-1 matchday one loss at Al Masry of Egypt on Sunday in the CAF Confederation Cup.

The Angolan defender fluffed an attempted clearance of a corner and Mohamed Hashem prodded the ball into the net past Chiefs captain and goalkeeper Brandon Petersen.
After a goalless first half in Suez, Masry took the lead in the Group D clash on 59 minutes when Rwandan Bonheur Mugisha converted a penalty after Petersen fouled Mahmoud Hamada.
Chiefs levelled seven minutes later when defender Dillon Solomons scored a rare goal for the Johannesburg outfit.The most popular club in South Africa, drawing 90,000-plus crowds when they face greatest domestic rivals Orlando Pirates, Chiefs have struggled to make a sustained impact in Africa.

They won the now defunct African Cup Winners’ Cup in 2001, but the closest they came to another CAF trophy was finishing 2020-2021 Champions League runners-up.

Masry lead fellow Egyptian club and twice Confederation Cup winners Zamalek on goals scored afer the White Knights beat Zambian visitors ZESCO United 1-0 in Cairo.

The other South African challengers in the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League, Stellenbosch, snatched a 1-0 home win over AS Otoho of Congo Brazzaville through an added-time goal.

A match that produced few scoring chances seemed destined to end goalless until substitute Ashley Cupido ran on to a through ball and netted on 93 minutes.

Stellenbosch reached the Confederation Cup semi-finals last season after a shock away victory over then title-holders Zamalek.

But the club based in a town amid the southwestern winelands, have been battling in the national league this season, winning just two of 12 matches.

Before the Group C match winner, Otoho came closest to scoring as Bandiougou Diallo rattled the crossbar from his free-kick at the end of the first half.

Stellenbosch trail Chabab Belouizdad on goal difference after the Algerian club beat Singida Black Stars of Tanzania 2-0 in Algiers.

Coached by German Sead Ramovic, Belouizdad quickly asserted their dominance with Abdennour Belhocini and Abdelraouf Benguit scoring within 14 minutes of the kick-off.

It was a disappointing weekend for Tanzania as Azam surrendered a four-match winning streak when qualifying for the group stage by losing 2-0 to Maniema Union of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Balako Panzi opened the scoring in Kinshasa on 43 minutes and an 85th-minute goal from Chadoma Ozome ensured the home team would secure maximum points in Group B.

The other match in the section also produced a 2-0 result, with Wydad Casablanca of Morocco scoring twice in the opening half against surprise qualifiers Nairobi United of Kenya.

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Source: AFP

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