Kaizer Chiefs PSV made a poor start to their CAF Confederation Cup campaign on Saturday after they lost 1-0 to a 10-man Kabuscorp outfit in the first leg of the first round at the 11 de Novembro Stadium.
Substitute Julio Matondo scored the only goal of the match on the hour mark.
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It was a fairly balanced game in the first half with both teams having a go at each other as they looked for goals.
The hosts edged the visitors in ball possession and in shot on goal statistics.
Amakhosi started the better of the sides, but Kabuscorp slowly regained their rhythm as the game progressed and they finished the stronger of the teams.
Glody Lilepo almost gave Chiefs an early lead in the ninth minute, but the Kabuscorp goalkeeper did well to parry the ball away to safety.
Lilepo then wasted a chance to redeem himself a minute late, but this time the Congolese striker rushed his shot as the ball went across the goal.
Brandon Petersen, who didn’t have much to do earlier on in the match, was finally called into action in the 26th minute when he had to make a save from an Afonso Mafuta shot.
Petersen was to produce a great save in the 43rd minute when Mos Ngoyi tried his luck from long range and he did well to parry the ball away for a corner kick.
The game remained 0-0 at the break.
Chiefs came out guns blazing in the second half as they looked for the all-important away goal, but it was Kabuscorp who took the lead on the hour mark through substitute Julio Matondo. The striker scored with a header which was his first touch of the ball having come on a minute earlier.
Thabo Cele came close to finding the equaliser for Amakhosi in the 68th minute, but his shot hit the woodwork with goalkeeper Anselmo Mweni well-beaten.
Chiefs were awarded a free kick in a promising position in the 82nd minute and Inacio Miguel saw his header go wide of goal from it.
Kabuscorp were reduced to 10 men in referees’ optional when Jorge Lucussa was given his marching orders for hitting Zitha Kwninika, but they hanged on to their lead to take a slender advantage to the second leg at the FNB Stadium next weekend.
As for Chiefs, they have all to play for in the second leg in Soweto,
