Durban City FC must show a ruthless edge in Mauritius to confirm their place in the CAF Confederation Cup group stages. They hold a 3-1 aggregate lead over AS Port Louis 2000 from the first leg played at Moses Mabhida Stadium last Sunday.
Goals from Haashim Domingo, Gastón Sirino and a late Tashreeq Morris penalty secured the advantage. Sebastien Roussety scored a second-half consolation for the visitors. The return fixture is set for this Sunday in Mauritius with a 15:00 kick-off.
Tinkler's warning
Head coach Eric Tinkler, who replaced Khalil Ben Youssef earlier this season, was clear about the required mentality. "We've got to turn them not into tourists but into locals; it's as simple as that," Tinkler said. "I don't want to be a tourist in the CAF competition, I want to be a local. That's got to be the mindset."
He was not entirely satisfied with the first-leg performance despite the win. "As much as I’m happy with the win, I’m obviously not entirely happy with the result," Tinkler admitted. "I think we were very wasteful, especially in the first half. We had opportunities to score more goals, and we needed to take them." He pointed to a first half where his team created several clear chances but only scored once, a period he described as lacking the necessary clinical edge to kill the tie.
Sirino's goal just after half-time made it 2-0, but the Citizens conceded before Morris sealed the win from the spot. The team currently sits 10th in the Premier Soccer League standings with seven points from eight matches, having scored only eight goals while conceding 13 in that time. This position is one they will look to improve upon after this continental commitment.
The opposition view
AS Port Louis coach Clarel Beeharry remains confident his side can mount a comeback on home soil. He cited logistical challenges and administrative issues, like incorrect names on the bench, from their trip to South Africa as factors in the first leg. His team will need to overturn the two-goal deficit without conceding to force extra time. Beeharry stated that playing at home with their supporters behind them presents a completely different challenge for Durban City.
Progress would mark a historic first group stage appearance in the competition for Durban City. The club's recent form has been mixed, with two wins, one draw and two losses in their last five matches across all competitions. They travel to Mauritius knowing a draw is enough to advance, but Tinkler has emphasised that the goal is to win the match outright and build momentum. The winner of this tie will advance to the group stage of Africa's secondary club competition.
Background and full detail: sabcsport.com
Durban City striker Tashreeq Morris said the team's first-leg win put them in a positive position. "We wanted to put ourselves in a positive position by scoring more than one or two goals," Morris told the club's website. The team's 3-1 win from October 18 was followed by a 3-0 victory on October 25, confirming their place in the group stages. This historic qualification comes as the club sits 10th in the Betway Premiership, 16 points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.
