Battling Leopards tumble out of Confed Cup after SuperSport tie

AFC Leopards yesterday crashed out of the Confederation Cup despite settling for a 2-2 draw against SuperSport United at the Nyayo Stadium.

In Tunis, the African Champions League return leg match between Gor Mahia and hosts Esperance was called off following heavy rains that rendered the pitch unplayable.

As it eventually turned out, the Confederation Cup contest was settled during the first leg staged in Pretoria eight days ago, where the Kenyan club lost 2-0. 

“We didn’t play well in the second half, the defensive part did not play to the required standards considering the calibre of the opposition, so we will pick ourselves up and respond in our league matches,” a dejected Leopards coach James Nandwa said.

The hosts broke the deadlock in this tie three minutes into the second half, when James Situma made the most of a goal mouth melee from a second consecutive corner kick, to send a powerful drive through a forest of legs and into the net.

At that point, James Nandwa’s team who needed another goal to level matters on aggregate, seemed to be cruising, with support from the hyped up partisan home crowd.

But the sentimental feeling lasted for precisely five minutes, as Thuso Phala was sent through towards Wycliffe Kasaya’s goal by a sublime pass from midfield. The midfielder, then positioned himself and sent a low shot that easily beat the Kenya International midfielder for the equalizing goal.

The visitors were then handed a comfortable five minutes to celebrate that goal that eventually proved a sucker punch, as Kasaya injured himself following a collision with Phala.

The former Gor and Sony Sugar custodian was accorded treatment for a couple of minutes before being carried off and rushed to hospital.

GUNS BLAZING

At that point Leopards, who needed to score three unanswered goals to win this game on aggregate, had a lifeline when substitute Jacob Keli’s shot from outside the box came off the cross bar, with United custodian Ronwen Williams well beaten.

But it was the South African club, who defeated English team Manchester City 2-0 in a pre-season friendly back in July, that proved more clinical in front of goal.

Phala Thuso turned from scorer to provider, after dancing his way past the giant Joseph Shikokoti before feeding Sameehg Doutie, who placed his fierce shot into the net via the underside of the cross bar.

Allan Wanga levelled matters on the stroke of full time with a header from Charles Okwemba’s cross, but that strike only proved consolation to the handful of supporters who were still in the stadium at that point. Thousands had walked away minutes earlier when Leopards fell behind 2-1.

“We knew they would come out against us guns blazing but we planned well and contained them. I instructed my players to step up their game in the second half which we did and the result was the two goals we scored,” Supersport coach Cavin Johnson said.

A section of angry Leopards fans turned their heat on the club administration after the final whistle, with claims that the team was not properly prepared.

Johnson’s team will play the winner of another first round contest  between CARA Utd of Congo and Tunisian club Etoile du Sahel in the second round.