Cape Town City are on the brink of elimination in the CAF Champions League after a 3-0 loss to Petro de Luanda in the first leg of their second preliminary round tie.
CAF Champions League
Result: Cape Town City 0-3 Petro de Luanda
Date: 08 October 2022
Venue: DHL Stadium
The Citizens made two changes from their draw against Golden Arrows, as Marc Van Heerden and Nathan Fasika were recalled while Petro goalkeeper Hugo Marques started against his former side.
City could not assert themselves in the early stages, as Petro looked more threatening on transitions and with 19 minutes on the clock, Anderson had a good opportunity for the visitors unmarked at the back post but curled his shot just over the crossbar.
Eric Tinkler's charges, however, found their rhythm after the half-hour mark, as Khanyisa Mayo came close to breaking the deadlock with a cracking shot that flashed a little past the near post after he cut inside from the right channel.
Petro remained a threat on counter-attacks and Gleison Moreira eventually gave them the lead with eight minutes left of the first stanza after he raced through on goal and fired a low strike across goal that found the bottom corner and got his side a crucial away goal.
Tinkler made a tactical change at halftime, as Mpho Makola replaced Thato Mokeke. The move seem to have backfired for City as Makola conceded a penalty five minutes later after bringing down Gilberto, who was going through on goal in the box.
Thiago Leal did not need any second invitation from 12-yards, as he doubled the lead for Petro and notched up their second away goal with an unstoppable shot past goalkeeper Darren Keet.
The Citizens became more vulnerable at the back as Leal gave the Angolan side a 3-0 lead and grabbed his brace shortly after the hour-mark with a tap-in from a rebound after a high press forced a mistake from Fasika at the back.
Petro took control of the game and Tinkler made a double change with 18 minutes remaining as Jordan Bender and Mduduzi Mdantsane both replaced Kajally Drammeh and Taahir Goedeman.
It went from bad to worse for City in the last ten minutes as they were reduced to ten men after Brice Ambina got a second yellow card and was sent off.
Petro knocked the ball around in the tail end as City continued to chase the game and were unable to reduce the deficit ahead of the second-leg next Friday.
Here's how they line up:
Cape Town City: Keet, Mkhize, Fasika, Fielies, Van Heerden, Mokeke, Ambina, Goedeman, Darwin, Kajally, Mayo
Subs: Mpandle, Cupido, Mdantsane, Lekay, Mokhuoane, Nodada, Bender, Makola, Martin
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