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Kaizer Chiefs 0-0 PWD Bamenda (1-0 aggregate): Amakhosi slips into the first round of the Caf Champions League
The Soweto giants are now ready to face Primeiro de Agosto and will make it to the group stage if they beat the Angolan side on aggregate.
The Kaizer Chiefs were thwarted by a stubborn PWD Bamenda team in the Caf Champions League preliminary round second leg that ended in a 1-1 draw at the FNB Stadium on Saturday night.
Amakhosi was confident of another win over Abakwa Boys after posting a 1-0 win in the first leg in Limbe, Cameroon, last weekend.
Coach Gavin Hunt made four changes to the team that started in the first leg when Philani Zulu, Kgotso Moleko, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and Lebogang Manyama returned to the starting lineup.
Hunt’s counterpart David Pagou eliminated club captain Louis Mbah from the starting lineup and Emmanuel Onyekweni started up front as the visitors sought to avenge the first leg loss to Amakhosi.
The Chiefs controlled the game early on with Lebogang Manyama pulling the strings from midfield for the hosts and was also a threat from set pieces.
International Bafana Bafana’s shot from a free kick that headed for the top squad was brilliantly stopped by Bamenda goalkeeper Kerrido Haschou, who was well positioned.
The bosses continued to investigate with players like Khama Billiat, Siphelele Ntshangase and Bernard Parker, seeing a lot of the ball in the Bamenda half.
However, the Soweto giants found it difficult to penetrate the hosts’ solid defense and resorted to long-range shots with Anthony Akumu’s effort from distance that almost missed the mark.
The hosts received a free kick in a promising area after Billiat was fouled. Manyama stepped forward and Haschou denied it once more as the pressure mounted on the Abakwa Boys.
However, Bamenda was able to contain the Chiefs and the score was 0-0 at halftime with Amakhosi leading 1-0 on aggregate.
Manyama and Haschou continued their battle after the restart when the former’s free throw was rejected by the 24-year-old closer, who was having a good game.
The former Les Astres FC goalkeeper ran off to reject Parker, before flipping Billiat’s curved corner kick over the crossbar.
Leonardo Castro, who had replaced Ntshangase, tried his luck from range twice, but his shots drifted off target without disturbing Haschou.
Parker’s attempt was blocked inside the area and Manyama shot over the bar from the rebound as Chiefs pushed for a late game-winning goal.
However, Bamenda remained firmly behind in the final minutes of the match and eventually the match ended in a 0-0 draw on the night.
The result saw the Chiefs advance to the first round, where they will face Angolan club CD Primeiro De Agosto after winning their 1-0 tie on aggregate, while Bamenda fell out of the competition.
Amakhosi will resume his PSL campaign with a match against Black Leopards at FNB Stadium on Tuesday, December 8.
