Kaizer Chiefs (1) 1
(Lilepo 14’)

ZESCO United (0) 0

TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup, Group D
Moses Mabhida stadium, Durban

Just as he did against Marumo Gallants in the Betway Premiership in midweek, Glody Lilepo scored the only goal of the game to give Amakhosi a 1-0 win over ZESCO United in their TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup Group D encounter at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban on Sunday.

The three-point haul takes them up to seven, level with Al Masry and two ahead of Zamalek, who face each other later today.

Chiefs made a positive start, seemingly intent on establishing early dominance, and had the visitors on the back foot with some surging runs down the flanks, notably by Dillan Solomons, whose pace caused problems out wide.

The first opportunity fell to Mfundo Vilakazi in the 5^th minute as his well-struck volley was blocked.

Amakhosi’s well-drilled pressing system and ability to pass through ZESCO’s own attempts to close them down brought reward in the 14^th minute. ZESCO right back, Benedict Chipeshi’s misdirected pass out of defence ricocheted off Pule Mmodi into the path of Flavio Da Silva and Chiefs exploited their advantage to the maximum with quick one-touch football as the striker fed Vilakazi, who touched the ball to free man, Lilepo in space and the Congolese forward steadied himself before rifling the ball past Levin Oyipo and into the net.

Four minutes later, Mmodi shot wide after being set up by Lilepo and Da Silva went on a dangerous run that was only halted at the last.

Perhaps realising they were staring elimination in the face, ZESCO took a few more risks and came close to equalising in the 30^th minute when Brandon Petersen was forced to make two excellent saves in quick succession, first a brilliant diving save from target-man Amine Hiver’s header and then low down at his near post from Defender Kabaso Chongo’s goal bound effort from the resultant corner.

Yet, beyond that it was the home side that looked more likely to add to their score than concede, with Lilepo going close on three occasions as they struggled to contain his pace, power and skill, and Vilakazi struck the upright with a free kick from out wide in stoppage time, and Chiefs went into the break in a commanding position.

The second half rather stuttered through 45 minutes plus another four added at the end as Chiefs looked to manage the game and protect their lead while ZESCO attempted to regain parity without much cohesion, and the plethora of substitutions on both sides tended to disrupt the flow of play.

Petersen pulled off his third outstanding save of the match in the 77^th minute, taking off to tip Leonard Mulenga’s dipping volley over the bar.

Try as they did, ZESCO simply lacked the quality to cause Chiefs any real scares in the closing stages and Lebohang Maboe was desperately unlucky not to crown another dominant performance with a spectacular goal in the 90^th minute but his thunderous drive bounced down off the underside of the crossbar but not over the goal line.

It did not matter in the end and Amakhosi now march on to face Stellenbosch FC in the first defence of their Nedbank Cup title on Wednesday evening.

Line-ups

Kaizer Chiefs: Petersen © (1); McCarthy (35), Kwinika (4), Miguel (14), Solomons (18), Maboe (6), Ndlovu (8) (Mabaso (34) 59’), Vilakazi (28) (Shabalala (7 59’), Lilepo (19), Da Silva (32) (Duba (36) 65’)

Subs not used: Bvuma (16); Mako (29), Monyane (2), Msimango (25), Velebayi (17), Sirino (10)

Coaches: Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze

ZESCO United: Opiyo (33); Chepeshi (30) (Mayembe (21) 54’), Kabaso © (5), Amine (9), Muthoshi (15), Manda (16) (Addae (37) 70’), Derrick (20) (Musukuma (28) 54’), Mulenga (19), Mwanza (22) (Siankombo (17) 54’), Lindo (25), Chilongoshi (39)

Subs not used: Ngoma (12); Chiyuka (14), Chabala (26), Mkandawire (23), Sakauta (40)

Coach: Mathews Ndlhovu