Kaizer Chiefs (3) 3
(Ighodaro 3’, Kwinika 14’, Lilepo 25’)

AS Simba (0) 1
(McCarthy o.g. 80’)

TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup 2^nd preliminary round, 2^nd leg
Dobsonville stadium, Soweto

Kaizer Chiefs win 3-1 on aggregate

Amakhosi produced their best performance in recent memory to power their way into the group phase of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederations Cup for the first time after sweeping aside AS Simba from the Democratic Republic of Congo 3-1, and 3-1 on aggregate, in the second-leg of their second round preliminary tie at a blustery Dobsonville stadium on Sunday afternoon.

First half goals from Etiosa Ighodaro, Zitha Kwinika and Glody Lilepo set Chiefs on their way before Simba pulled one back via a deflection off the Unlucky Aden McCarthy with 10 minutes remaining.

Chiefs got off to a flying start, taking the lead with barely two minutes on the clock when Aiden McCarthy hit a long ball over the Simba defence, which Lilepo latched onto. His shot was parried by visiting goalkeeper, Dida, but like all good strikers, Ighodaro was perfectly positioned to knock the ball into the net from close range.

Zitha Kwinika made it 2-0 in the 14^th minute, beating his marker to be first to reach Mfundo Vilakazi’s wickedly delivered free kick and volley the ball past Dida to score only his second goal for Chiefs and his first in more than three years. It was also Amakhosi’s 100^th goal in African club competition.

Lilepo almost made it 3-0 in the 25^th minute, winning the ball high up the pitch and striking a fierce shot that Dida did well to push past the post. However, Amakhosi’s spring-heeled Congolese forward made no mistake when he outjumped the Simba defence to head the resultant pin-point corner from Vilakazi into the net for Amakhosi’s third of the game, as the sizeable crowd chanted his name in unison.

They played out the remainder of the half in total control, keeping possession masterfully and denying Simba even a sniff of an opportunity to mount a fightback.

With no need to take unnecessary risks, Chiefs negotiated their way through the second half with consummate game management, employing their superior skills to hold Simba at arm’s length and maintaining possession impressively, yet still looked the more likely to score when they broke forward. In 57 minutes, Pule Modi, on for the injured Lilepo, beat his defender skilfully to fashion an opening but couldn’t keep his shot down. In the 68^th minute, Mmodi had the ball in the net only for the goal to be chalked off for a marginal offside and four minutes later, another sub, Asanele Velebayi's cross form the right was met by Ighodaro but cannoned off the underside of the crossbar. There was even a bit of time for some showboating from the likes of Mduduzi Shabalala and Bradley Cross to the delight of the supporters, such was Amakhosi's dominance.

Simba managed to register a rather fortuitous goal in the 80^th minute when a hopeful cross from the right deflected off McCarthy past Brandon Petersen but it was nothing more than a consolation.

Chiefs now await the draw to see who they will meet in the group stage of the competition.

Line-ups

Kaizer Chiefs:  Petersen © (1), Cross (27), McCarthy (35), Solomons (18), Kwinika (4), Mthethwa (5) (Matlou (22) 65’), Ngcobo (12) (Maboe (6) 77’), Vilakazi (28) (Velebayi (17) 65’), Shabalala (7), Lilepo (19) (Mmodi (13) 46’), Ighodaro (40) (Sirino (10) 79’)

Subs not used: Bvuma (16); Frosler (39), Cele (21), Du Preez (9)

Coaches: Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze

AS Simba: Dida (33); Mangoba (24), Kabasele (4), Ilunga Kamwanga © (5), Keta (26), Ilume (19), Kazadi (23) (Nyongane (28) 33’), Amisi (25) (Tango (20) 76’), Nsona Kinkela (17) (Kamwang (8) 57’), Mutuale Kongolo (11) (Ntumba (15) 57’), Ilunga Nsungu (7) (Abakura (31) 76’)

Subs: Mbo Mpoy(16); Mbuka (3), Mukenge (13), Kidinda (9)

Coach: Mutombo Tshota