Kaizer Chiefs will still fancy their chances of going through to the next round of the 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup despite going down 1-0 to Angolan opponents, Kabuscorp SCP, in the first-leg of their preliminary round tie at Estadio 11 de Novembro in Luanda on Saturday.
Substitute, Julio, scored within moments of taking the field, in the 60th minute to give the hosts a lead to bring to FNB stadium next Saturday for the second-leg. With the away goals rule in effect, Amakhosi will have to score at least once to have a chance of going through.
In a pretty evenly contested first half, Amakhosi had the better of the early exchanges and posed the greater threat over the opening 5 minutes.
Congolese star, Glody Lilepo had a fierce shot in the 9th minute that Kabuscorp goalkeeper, Anselmo, could only parry back into the danger area and was relieved to see Pule Mmodi’s shot blocked.
A couple of minutes later, Lilepo pounced on some hesitancy in the Kabuscorp defence but shot narrowly wide as Anselmo came out to narrow his angle.
Chiefs played plenty of attractive football, with Mduduzi Shabalala and Mmodi combining well with the likes of Thabo Cele and Lilepo to put the home side under pressure, and when they did break the shackles, Sibongiseni Mthethwa was ubiquitous in cleaning up any loose ends and snuffing out any danger posed by Kabuscorp.
It took until the 44th minute for Amakhosi’s keeper, Brandon Petersen, to be called into action to turn a dipping shot from Sandro around the post, and the referee brought an end to the half with the teams level at 0-0.
Kabuscorp seemed to up their game in the second period and had Chiefs on the back foot at stages, although without really troubling the Amakhosi back line. That was until the hour mark when Jorge swung in a hopeful cross from the left and Julio ghosted in between Aiden McCarthy and Paseka Mako to head past Petersen and put the home side into the lead with his first touch of the ball.
It might have been worse six minutes later as Petersen was called upon to save smartly from Bayala’s left foot drive from the edge of the box.
