Kaizer Chiefs top group with resilient victory over Al Masry in Polokwane

Top of the table with one match to go, Kaizer Chiefs’ dream of continental glory was fired up on Sunday afternoon courtesy of a 2-1 victory over Al Masry in Polokwane.

A contentious first half penalty by Flavio Silva and a poacher’s tap-in by Aiden McCarthy after the hour mark saw Amakhosi give the Egyptian outfit a taste of their own medicine. Al Masry had beaten Chiefs by the same scoreline in the first round.

Chiefs played with great energy and the determination of a side evidently intent on adding a second African title to their cabinet. They pushed forward with pace, shared the ball quickly and took pot-shots at the Masry goalkeeper as they dominated the early stages of the tie in the Limpopo heat.

Their efforts bore fruit on 38 minutes, albeit under controversial circumstances. Al Masry protested vehemently that the ball had not struck their captain Ahmed Mansour’s arm, but Ghanaian referee Daniel Laryea saw things differently.

After a long wait, Silva kept his cool to send goalkeeper Mahmoud Abdelbaky the wrong way. The Portuguese striker should have completed a brace in injury time after receiving a great threaded pass to beat a defensive slide and round the keeper, but he incredulously shot the ball into the side-netting.

The Egyptians silenced the partisan crowd on 57 minutes when Abderrahim Deghmoum slotted home the equaliser. However, Chiefs swiftly regained their lead through a McCarthy tap-in from close range following a free kick which the visitors failed to clear; Abdelbaky parried the initial effort, but only straight at the grateful Amakhosi defender.

It was a precarious lead, but Chiefs did well to hold on to register a fantastic result. The Peter Mokaba Stadium reverberated under the stomping feet and singing of the Amakhosi faithful as the Chiefs squad celebrated wildly on the pitch.

Chiefs, on 10 points, need only avoid defeat at Zamalek who were shockingly beaten at Zesco United, in their final group match next weekend.

SCOREBOARD | Kaizer Chiefs v Al Masry

Kaizer Chiefs (1) 2

Silva 39-pen; McCarthy 60

Al Masry (0) 1

Deghmoum 57