One goal is too much for Leopard

Leopard is out of CAF Confederations Cup

Black Leopard failed to continue with their CAF Confederation cup journey after a 0-0 draw with El Merreikh at Ellis Pack stadium this afternoon.

 Leopard stated the game very slowly trying to build from the back, while El Merreik was putting pressure from the first minute of the game. That made it difficult for Lidoda Duvha to get an early goal.

 However, after seven minutes Leopard tried to take first goal lead by a shoot from Edgar Manaka thou it went over the bar. From that moment, the Limpopo based club toke the control of the game from the visitors.

El Merreikh right and left wings turned things around, they won the possession by flying high on the wings.  Leopard saw jeopardy and made a quick transformation, and substitute Davie Banda by David Zulu. And that brings back the moral of the team.

On the last minute of first half, El Merreikh defense made a mistake but Rodney Ramagalela wasted the chance and made El Merreikh goalkeeper - Aaram El Hadi Salim - a star of the day.  

First minute of second half, Manaka was substituted by Raymond Monama. From that moment, Leopard seems more organised. They pushed hard but Aaram El Hadi Salim was not doing any fovours on a goal line.

Leopard captain tried to lead by example by a magnificent header from Ramagalela’s cross but Aaram El Hadi Salim stood up again and denied him a goal.

During the last ten minutes of the game, both teams were attacking each other with the aim of scoring a goal, but that did not happen. The last five minutes was owned by the home team, however it was not enough to earn them a goal.

The letdown of Lidoda Duvha to score a goal led El Merreikh to advance into the group stages with a 3-2 on aggregate

This is the lineups for both teams…

Leopards: Azwindini Maphaha, Vincent Mabusela, Humphrey Khoza, Harry Nyirenda, Nkosiyabo Xakane, Davis Banda, Mongezi Bobe (C), Tiyani Mabunda, Edgar Manaka, Mahlatse Maake, Rodney Ramagalela.

El Merreikh: Aaram El Hadi Salim, Saeed Mustafa (C), Serge Wawa, Nagm Eldin Abdall, Balla Gabir, Mousa El Tayeb, Nasr Eldin, Omer, Kelechi Osunwa, Ahmed El Basha, Musaab Omer.