Cape Town City suffered a 3-0 loss to Petro de Luanda in the CAF Champions League second preliminary round first-leg on Saturday evening.
The Citizens made two changes from the 1-1 draw against Golden Arrows in the DStv Premiership as Nathan Fasika and Marc Van Heerden came in, while former City goalkeeper Hugo Marques featured for Petro.
City enjoyed a pacey and an energetic opening as runs down the byline from Van Heerden worried Petro and thus a low-block structure at the back followed suit.
The Citizens were able to breakthrough the defensive lines that last season's Champions League semi-finalist provided and saw Khanyisa Mayo curl wide of the near corner from a promising area.
Petro started to find confidence seven minutes to halftime and broke the deadlock when Gleison Moreira played a one-two outside the area and found out the bottom-corner with a low strike.
Tinkler's charges very nearly found a response from a header by Taariq Fielies minutes later following a corner-kick, but Marques did well to make the save.
Petro maintained control just after the break as they drew a penalty from a foul by Mpho Makola and Tiago Leal stepped up and directed City goalkeeper Darren Keet the wrong way.
It became a dominant contest from de Luanda, who bagged a third goal midway through the second half as Leal capitalised on poor defensive play by City and side-footed past Keet.
A double substitution came from City in the latter stages, with Jordan Bender hauled in for Kajally before Taahir Goedeman made way for Mduduzi Mdantsane.
However, the Citizens were down to ten players with ten minutes to go after Brice Ambina got his marching orders for a coming-together in the middle of the park.
Petro managed to run down the remaining minutes and recorded a huge first-leg win, leaving City with a mountain to climb in the return-leg on Friday.
Confirmed line-ups:
Cape Town City: Keet, Mkhize, Fasika, Fielies, Van Heerden, Mokeke, Ambina, Goedeman, Darwin, Kajally, Mayo
Subs: Mpandle, Cupido, Mdantsane, Lekay, Mokhuoane, Nodada, Bender, Makola, Martin
You must be SIGNED IN to read and post comments.
Click here to register: Sign In