Kaizer Chiefs have it all to do if they are to reach the
CAF Confederation Cup group stage after a 2-1 home loss to ASEC Mimosas.
Matthew Rusike looked to have earned the Chiefs a late
draw in Sunday's first leg with an 86th-minute equaliser, but ASEC edged ahead
once again in the second minute of stoppage time, as Koffi Davy Boua notched a
second away goal.
Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter was livid after the match and,
further to claiming his side lost to "a poor team", blasted ASEC for
displaying what he perceived to be unsportsmanlike behaviour.
"I don't think you've got any idea what it's like
playing against a team that’s throwing themselves on the ground," said the
60-year-old following criticism of his team selection.
"I call that cheating. If you want to lambast
players who worked their socks off, you have to look at the tactical conditions
for the match.
"What I don't like is lack of endeavour, passion and
commitment from my players, and I told them in the change room.
"I still think we fielded a strong enough team. The
bubbly pitch and the opponent's time-wasting antics tactically affected the
flowing football that we wanted to play.
"We dominated play territorially and should still
have won the game."
Baxter's men are also in the hunt for domestic league and
cup glory in South Africa this season.
The coach added: "We are going through a gruelling,
traumatic period in which we are competing for honours in three different
events at the same time."
Ahead of the second leg in Abidjan on Sunday, the Chiefs
can at least take heart from their recent away form, which has seen them lose
only three of their last 18 games in all competitions.
Egyptian giants Al Ahly go into their second leg against
Difaa El Jadida with a narrow 1-0 lead after defeating their Moroccan opponents
at home on Sunday.
Difaa have now failed to win any of their last five in
all competitions, while Al Ahly are on a four-game winning streak and will be
confident of progressing.
Real Bamako make the relatively short trip to face fellow
Malian side Djoliba on Friday hoping to hold on to a 2-1 lead from the first
leg, while Guinean outfit Horoya face a difficult test at Etoile Sahel
following a 0-0 draw at home.
Sewe Sport's 2-0 defeat of Bayelsa United leaves the
Nigerian side with a mountain to climb against opponents who have suffered only
three losses in 26 matches.
Ghana's Medeama also have a tricky second leg ahead of
them as they host Leopards de Dolisie, whom they lost 2-0 to on Sunday.
Congolese outfit Leopards go into the return fixture
having lost only once in 24 fixtures across all competitions.
Cotonsport take a narrow 2-1 lead to Angola ahead of
their showdown with Petro de Luanda, while it is all to play for in Tunisia as
Bizertin entertain Nkana on the back of a 0-0 first-leg draw.
Culled from Soccerway
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