Durban City face ‘tricky’ Confederation Cup second leg after narrow Rukinzo win

Durban City coach Khalil Ben Youssef says his side’s 1-0 victory over Rukinzo has left their CAF Confederation Cup tie finely balanced ahead of Sunday’s second leg in Burundi.

The South African club secured a narrow advantage in the first leg of the first preliminary round at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday. The return match is scheduled for 3pm South Africa time, with Ben Youssef warning his players that they cannot afford to assume the job has been completed.

Rukinzo midfielder Ally Magambo scored an own goal which proved decisive in Durban, giving Durban City a lead to take into the second match. However, Ben Youssef believes the margin is not sufficient to make the tie safe.

“It’s not a safe result. If you win with more goals, that gives you more confidence, but I think it’s a tricky result, so we need to prepare ourselves for the second game, which I think will be tricky as well,” Ben Youssef said.

The coach acknowledged that Durban City had struggled to settle during the opening half of the first meeting. He said his team’s hurried play led to a loss of possession and suggested that the players had been affected by the pressure of the occasion.

“We didn’t start well in the first half. We were rushing; we lost a lot of possession. We felt like the players were under pressure.

“At half-time, we told the players to keep calm, to play their game and to enjoy playing football. They don’t have to feel the pressure.”

Ben Youssef is also concerned about the threat posed by Rukinzo’s attacking players when the teams meet again in Burundi. He highlighted their pace and technical ability, particularly in situations where individual skill can decide an encounter.

“They have fast, quality players in the front, and technically they can make the difference in one-versus-one situations.”

The Durban City manager will therefore expect a disciplined performance in the second leg as his side attempt to protect their slender advantage and progress in the CAF Confederation Cup.

The tie is not unfamiliar territory for Ben Youssef. He coached in the same competition last season with Kaizer Chiefs, meaning he has previous experience of the demands involved in navigating the Confederation Cup.

For now, Durban City hold the advantage, but the single-goal lead leaves little room for complacency. Ben Youssef’s message is that his players must remain calm, improve on their first-half performance from the opening match and prepare for a difficult encounter against a Rukinzo side he believes possesses considerable quality in attack.