Stunning CAF Cup triumph for Swazi Leopards
Swaziland police club Royal Leopards caused a CAF Confederation Cup sensation with the weekend elimination of South Africans club Wits. Written off after a three-goal first-leg drubbing, the Swazis triumphed 3-0 near capital Mbabane and won the preliminary-round tie on penalties. Clashes between South African and Swazi clubs are traditionally mismatches as there is a gulf in football standards between the neighbouring countries. Unfashionable Johannesburg-based Wits are riding high at home, sharing second place in the league table with Mamelodi Sundowns. But Leopards refused to accept the inevitable at Somhlolo Stadium in Lobamba, led 1-0 at half-time and were three goals ahead midway through the second half. The policemen held their nerve in the shootout and when South African Kabelo Paseka fluffed his penalty, Wits were out. Wits coach Gavin Hunt, who bore the brunt of a social-media backlash, accepted the better team qualified for the last-32 stage. "All the Leopards were outstanding and deserved to win," conceded the man who steered SuperSport to three South African Premiership titles before joining Wits. Coach Sifiso Ntibane applauded the tactical discipline of his Leopards. "We were focused, pressed our opponents and created chances. We needed an early goal to settle the nerves and got it. "My players believed they could overturn the first-leg deficit and I am so proud of what they achieved." Muzi Dlamini put Leopards ahead on 15 minutes, Zweli Nxumalo doubled the advantage from a penalty on the hour and Mathokoza Twala struck to level the aggregate score. Ghana's 2014 World Cup coach Kwesi Appiah had hopes of a lengthy Confederation Cup run dashed as a stoppage-time penalty eliminated his Sudanese side, Al-Khartoum. Alex Ngonga converted the spot-kick for Zambians Power Dynamos in Kitwe and also scored midway through the opening half for a 2-0 victory. Khartoum had taken a one-goal advantage into the return game as Appiah sought to make an impact at CAF club level. He was fired by Ghana last October after a troubled World Cup on and off the field. The Black Stars lost to the United States and Portugal and made a first-round exit four years after reaching the quarter-finals of the previous World Cup. Indiscipline resulted in Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari being sent home and a threatened boycott forced the Ghanaian government to airlift millions of dollars in cash bonuses to Brazil. Appiah was shattered by elimination, saying: "I am very upset and not in a mood to comment on this match." Nigerians Dolphins needed a penalty shootout to oust Equatoguineans Leones Vegetarianos and Ugandans Revenue Authority advanced after a 1-0 win over Elgeco Plus in Madagascar. Gabonese Mounana were the most decisive preliminary-round winners, beating Polisi 3-1 in Zanzibar for an 8-1 overall success.
