Durban City have booked their place in the CAF Confederation Cup group stages for the first time in the club’s history after a convincing 6-1 aggregate win over AS Port Louis 2000 of Mauritius.

The Betway Premiership side completed the job in the second leg with a comfortable 3-0 victory away from home. Gaston Sirino opened the scoring after just 12 minutes, giving City a 4-1 lead on aggregate. Haashim Domingo added a second goal in the 25th minute to put the result beyond doubt before the break. Substitute Ethan Brooks then scored seven minutes into the second half for his first goal for the club, sealing a 3-0 win on the day.

City had already taken control of the tie in the first leg at Moses Mabhida Stadium, where they won 3-1. Domingo, Sirino and Tashreeq Morris were on target that day, giving the home side a healthy advantage before they travelled to Mauritius.

The performance in the return leg was professional and controlled. Coach Eric Tinkler’s team played with intent and never allowed the Mauritians a chance to turn the tie around. Even though City created several more chances, they managed the game well in the closing stages and saw out the victory without any drama.

This is a significant milestone for Durban City. The club only recently established itself in the top flight and earned their place in the Confederation Cup by winning the Nedbank Cup last season. Under Tinkler, who was appointed earlier this month, they have now taken the next step and reached the group stages in their first continental campaign.

City are also the only South African team still standing in this season’s Confederation Cup after Kaizer Chiefs were eliminated. Their progression adds to a promising period for the club and gives them the chance to test themselves against stronger opposition from across the continent.

With the group stage draw still to come, Durban City will now focus on preparing for the next phase while balancing their domestic league commitments. For a club that has grown quickly in recent years, reaching this stage represents a major achievement and a clear sign of the progress being made.

Source: https://x.com/KickOffMagazine/status/2114372809585561918