Durban City have made history by reaching their maiden CAF Confederation Cup group stages, a significant milestone for the club and KwaZulu-Natal.
The Citizens secured their place after defeating AS Port-Louis 2000 6-1 on aggregate in the second preliminary round. Having won the first leg 3-1 at home, Durban City carried a two-goal advantage into the return fixture and delivered another impressive performance to seal qualification.
Gaston Sirino opened the scoring in the 12th minute, extending Durban City’s aggregate lead to 4-1. The Citizens continued to dominate, with Haashim Domingo finding the back of the net in the 25th minute to make it 5-1 on aggregate.
The visitors maintained their momentum after the break, and Ethan Brooks added a third goal on the day in the 52nd minute. The strike, his first ever, extended the aggregate score to 6-1 and put the tie beyond AS Port-Louis 2000’s reach.
The result confirms Durban City’s place in the group stages in their first-ever appearance in the continental competition, making the achievement even more remarkable.
For KwaZulu-Natal, the qualification carries added significance. The last KZN side to feature in the CAF Confederation Cup was Royal AM during the 2022/23 campaign, although they were unable to progress to the group stages. Durban City have now taken that next step, restoring the province’s presence in the competition’s group phase.
The achievement also comes at a crucial time for South African football. Following Kaizer Chiefs’ elimination on Friday, Durban City remain the country’s sole representatives in the CAF Confederation Cup.
The Citizens will now look forward to the group-stage draw as they prepare to test themselves against some of the continent’s best sides, carrying the hopes of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal and South African football into the next chapter of their historic campaign.