Kaizer Chiefs advanced to the Telkom Knockout quarter-finals after a penalty shootout victory over Cape Town City on Saturday afternoon, with an enthralling encounter finishing 1-1 at the Cape Town Stadium.

Chiefs came into the game full of confidence as the current league leaders and were eyeing an opportunity to challenge for a trophy.

City, on the other hand, have struggled to see out games in recent weeks and would have been hoping that a big performance against the Soweto giants could reignite their campaign.

Ernst Middendorp’s charges started the game on the front foot, controlling the possession and tempo of the game, while also threatening from set pieces as City goalkeeper Peter Leeuwenburg was called into action early on.

Chiefs were then gifted a golden chance to open the scoring with 30 minutes gone as Khama Billiat had a shot hit the hand of the sliding Taariq Fielies, which prompted the referee to point to the spot.

The City players reacted with fury and Mpho Makola was lucky to stay on the field after pushing the referee.

Once the heated exchanges subsided, Daniel Cardoso stepped up to take the spot kick, but he could not capitalise as he blasted his effort over the bar.

The Glamour Boys were then punished for their wastefulness as Kermit Erasmus picked up the ball just outside the box and let fly with a rocket of a shot which whizzed by the sprawling Daniel Akpeyi in the Chiefs goal. That made it 1-0 to City with 34 minutes played.

The first half then ended with more disappointment for Middendorp as Bernard Parker was stretchered off injured and replaced by Samir Nurkovic after George Maluleka came on for Kearyn Baccus earlier in the half.

The home side led 1-0 at the break with the game much open.

The Citizens were fired up at the start of the second stanza as they looked to double their lead and came close to doing just that in the 53rd minute, but Daniel Akpeyi was on the spot pulling off a triple save to keep the home side at bay.

Akpeyi was then called into action again to keep out Thabo Nodada in the 63rd minute before Makola struck the crossbar five minutes later.

It was then the chance of Chiefs to go close as they piled pressure on Leeuwenburg’s goal but the Dutch keeper was proving equal to any effort fired his way.

Then, with just seven minutes remaining, Amakhosi finally got their goal through the substitute Nurkovic. Reeve Frosler whipped in a cross from the right-hand side, which was flicked on by Lebogang Manyama straight to the Serbian striker who finished with an emphatic volley.

Both sides looked to push forward in search of a winner, but it was not forthcoming as the cup tie headed into extra time.

The sides were struggling in the heat of Cape Town as the tempo of the game began to slow down.

Chiefs, though, came close to winning it when the ball fell to Eric Mathoho in the box, but Leeuwenbrug was again in the right spot to snap up the effort and the moments later Akpeyi denied Fagrie Lakay at the other end.

Try as they might, neither side could find a way to goal as the last-16 encounter went to penalties.

Ibrahim Seedat missed City’s first spot kick to hand Chiefs the advantage following Cardoso’s successful effort. Castro then squeezed his shot past Leeuwenburg before Thabo Nodada made no mistake with his penalty kick to make it 2-1.

Billiat made it 3-1 to Chiefs and then Fielies stepped up and missed the target with his effort, but City were kept in it when Leeuwenburg saved the next Amakhosi spot kick from Manyama before Edmilson Dove powered in his effort to make it 3-2.

Mathoho then stepped up for the chance to send Chiefs into the quarters and made no mistake in firing his shot into the top corner.