An 88th goal from Joslin Kamatuka secured a 1-0 win over Chippa United in Durban City’s first ever Betway Premiership outing at their home base, the Chatsworth Stadium.
The win on home debut in front of a lively support made it two from two this season for for the newly-promoted club under head coach Gavin Hunt.
The Durban side were on the front foot for most of the first half, enjoying territorial advantage while creating some good chances on goal.
The first opportunity arose after only three minutes as birthday boy Haashim Domingo got on the end of a ball into the box, firing narrowly over the target.
More opportunities arose for City yet the scoreline remained unchanged as Samkelo Maseko shot wide after doing well to fashion space for himself, before Domingo came even closer, thudding the woodwork in the 14th minute after curling a shot from well outside the box into the left-hand upright.
The hosts continued to ask questions of the Chippa defence – the visitors nearly conceding a penalty when Sergio Kammies handled a cross from Mfanafuthi Mkhize on the edge of his area, Domingo unable to profit from the resultant free kick out on the left five minutes before the interval.
The second half continued in the same vein as the first as the Citizens pushed and probed for openings, but struggled to fully unlock the stubborn Chilli Boys defence.
Half chances arose as the KwaZulu-Natal side just failed to make the most of a goalmouth scramble inside the Chippa box in the 56th minute, before Domingo’s nicely-shaped cross narowlly eluded the oncoming Trevor Mokwena.
Domingo looked determined to help his side win the game, but the experienced attacking midfielder wasn’t able to make it count in front of goal as he slipped while getting a shot on the turn away, before having a goalbound strike kept out by a last-gasp defensive challenge with 10 minutes to play.
It was however to be a night to remember as substitute Kamatuka popped up on the edge of the small box in the 88th minute of the game to expertly steer Mkhize’s inviting low cross from the left into the back of net with a first-time effort.
Next up for City is our first KZN derby – against Golden Arrows at the Chatsworth Stadium on Tuesday, 19 August (19H30)
