Gallants sitting pretty after CAF victory
Precious away goals bode well for second leg game
Image: Dirk Kotze
Marumo Gallants did themselves a huge favour by scoring three away goals during their 3-1 victory over Elgeco Plus in the CAF Confederation Cup second preliminary round first leg in Madagascar on Sunday.
Goals by Monde Mphambaniso, Celimpilo Ngema and Lesiba William Nku ensured Gallants would have the advantage heading into the second leg at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday at 3pm.
Gallants will be through to the next round with a draw or win at home in the second leg as they have three precious away goals.
The Limpopo side are looking to reach the group stages of the competition after they fell at the last hurdle to TP Mazembe last year, losing in the playoff match.
Before losing to Mazembe, Bahlabane Ba Ntwa had eliminated AS Vita and will look to do better this time by reaching the group stages.
The victory was the second in succession for Gallants under new coach Dan Malesela, who rejoined them from Royal AM last month, across all competitions.
Meanwhile, Cape Town City have a mountain to climb after losing 0-3 to Petro de Luanda at home on Saturday in the Champions League second preliminary round first leg.
The Citizens will have to overturn the results in the second leg in Angola on Friday at 5pm and coach Eric Tinkler admitted that it will be a difficult task. “We have to go there and we have to fight for some pride,” Tinkler said.
“The 0-3 is a big ask, to be brutally honest. We have to go there and at least score three to get ourselves back into the game. But in the next couple of days we will make a decision on what the plan will be because there is a bigger picture here at home in the league.
“Decisions will be made in terms of what we will do. I don’t want to go there and take the whole Diski team and get hammered five or six. That would be an embarrassment for the club. So we will go there to compete and save some pride.”