A contentious first half goal by Simba SC‘s Jean Ahoua saw Stellenbosch FC narrowly lose 1-0 in the 1st leg of their CAF Confederation Cup semi-final tie at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar on Sunday afternoon.
The sides started slow with no one getting a clear-cut chances at goal in the opening 10 minutes. It was only in the 17th minute that the home side tested their visitors with Shomari Kampombe missing the target in the box while attempting a bicycle kick before missing another opportunity four minutes later.
Six minutes from that it was Stellies in possession with their clearest chance yet at goal. The side won a thrown in, captain Fawaaz Basadien to Andre de Jong who flicked it for Devin Titus, but his attempted header forced the goalkeeper to punch it out for a corner kick
Simba were awarded a free kick in the 39th minute just outside the Stellies box after Kibu Denis was fouled. Ahoua stepped up but was denied by Oscarine Masuluke. With the game looking to go into the break deadlocked, Fadlu Davids’ side got another set-piece and this time around Ahoua slotted it underneath Masuluke’s body give Simba the lead at halftime after the goal was doubled checked to not be offside by VAR.
Both sides returned from the break unchanged. It took three minutes for Stellies to try to level after Titus found De Jong, but the latter couldn’t get a strong touch on the ball in the box. A minute later, Ahoua could have made it 2-0 but missed the target. The Tanzanian giants continued to dominate and were almost rewarded with second goal in 77th minute through substitute Joshua Mutale but his shot got deflected and went over the bar.
Simba take a 1-0 aggregate lead into the second leg in South Africa in seven days’ time.
