Durban City saw off Rukinzo 1:0 in the first preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup on Saturday. The result gives the hosts a slight advantage heading into the return leg, though neither side has much to write home about just yet. By then you'd expect the intensity to ramp up considerably.
There were no clear-cut chances on show, and the statistics tell a story of a match played in the shadows. Both sides registered nothing across the board — no shots, no corners, no fouls. And here's the thing about these preliminary rounds: sometimes the game is decided by something as simple as a moment of concentration.
Durban City come into this on the back of mixed results, including a 1:2 defeat to Orlando Pirates and a goalless draw against Golden Arrows. Rukinzo have been similarly inconsistent, with five games yielding just three points from their last five fixtures. To be fair, neither team has looked particularly dangerous going forward.
The visitors had a decent run at home earlier in the year, beating Panth Noir 2:1 and Buumuru 4:0, but those results feel distant now. Their recent form has been characterised by goalless draws against Olympique Star and Musongati. By then they must have known they needed to find something more.
What matters now is the aggregate picture. Durban City hold the slender advantage, but Rukinzo will travel with confidence that they can still trouble the hosts. The second leg promises to be a different proposition entirely.