Durban City FC’s return to the Betway Premiership after the international break was marked with an accomplished 2-0 win over Siwele at the Chatsworth Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Despite the weather there was a fantastic vibe in the stands, the home crowd vocal and right behind the Citizens throughout the 90 minutes.
The team’s two new signings – Terrence Mashego and Letsie Koapeng, were both handed starts on a rainy night in Durban.
It took a while for the action to heat up as the two sides cancelled each other out in the opening 25 minutes. City then had the first clear chance on goal when after a sweeping move from their own half, the ball was worked to Haashim Domingo – the shot flying over the crossbar from 20-yards out.
A few minutes later it was Siwelele’s chance to score as former Kaizer Chiefs striker Christian Saile raced clear down the left before firing in a powerful shot; which drew an excellent reflex save up to his right from home keeper Darren Keet.
Then, in the 42nd minute, the game’s complexion was changed as the home side took the lead through Koapeng – the debutant beating the off-side trap to latch onto Trevor Mokwena’s clever ball around the corner before finishing with a clinical low drive from inside the box.
The lively Mokwena was to get his own reward when he got on the scoresheet in the 52nd minute – reacting sharply in the box to rifle home a similar shot along the ground – after the visiting team had failed to clear their box under pressure from Koapeng and Fezile Gcaba.
City remained bright after that, pushing and probing for a third goal, but not quite finding the killer ball, while at the other end, Vincent Pule came close with a shot from distance.
It could well have been 3-0 to Durban City FC in the 73rd minute when Joslin Kamatuka did well to cut the ball back for Mokwena, although he was unable to make the most of the chance after shooting over while under pressure from a challenge.
Siwelele pushed hard for a goal in the closing minutes, but pleasingly for home coach Gavin Hunt, the Citizens were on top of their game defensively as they closed out the win with a clean sheet.
Next up for Durban City FC in the Betway Premiership are Mamelodi Sundowns, in Pretoria on Saturday night.
Match stats here
