Durban City’s defence impresses Ben Youssef but goals remain a concern

Durban City FC head coach Khalil Ben Youssef praised his side’s defensive organisation after their midweek draw against Stellenbosch, but admitted their lack of goals is becoming an increasing problem.

The result extended a mixed opening to the Betway Premiership season for the Citizens, who have won one, drawn three and lost one of their first five league matches.

Durban City have now kept three clean sheets in those five fixtures, underlining the strength of their defence. However, they have scored only three goals during the same period, leaving Ben Youssef seeking answers to a problem that has continued from match to match.

The coach believes the ability to prevent opponents from scoring gives his team a foundation from which to collect points, even when they are unable to find the net themselves.

“I think it’s very important that the team hasn’t conceded goals,” said Ben Youssef.

“Like I said when the game starts, you have always have one point in the pocket. If you fight and not concede, you come back with that point.

“And it’s a problem for us that we’re missing a lot of chances and the thing is we’re repeating the same.

“It’s our job to find solutions, it’s our work, we need to analyse and find solutions.”

Ben Youssef’s comments reflected the contrasting features of Durban City’s start to the campaign. Their defensive record has given them a degree of consistency, with the team regularly managing to keep opponents at bay, while their attacking output has restricted their ability to turn solid performances into victories.

The draw with Stellenbosch was another example of that pattern. Durban City avoided defeat and added to their run of clean sheets, but were unable to convert their opportunities into the goals needed to claim all three points.

With three draws already recorded in the opening five games, the Citizens have shown they can remain competitive in matches where they are under pressure. Yet the coach’s concern is that missed chances and the repetition of the same attacking issues could continue to cost them results unless improvements are made.

For Ben Youssef, addressing that imbalance is now a central task. He said the responsibility lies with the coaching staff and players to review what is happening in front of goal, identify the reasons for the repeated failures and develop solutions.

Durban City’s defensive work has therefore emerged as the main positive from their early league campaign, while their scoring record remains the clearest area for improvement. Their next challenge will be to retain that resilience at the back while becoming more effective in attack.

A separate report has also confirmed that Durban City have signed a former Bafana midfielder.