Kaizer Chiefs were dumped out of the Nedbank Cup as they were condemned to a 5-3 loss on penalties against SuperSport United in their quarter-final encounter at the FNB Stadium on Saturday evening, writes MARSHALL GOUTS.
Stuart Baxter made three changes from the side that went down 1-0 to Mamelodi Sundowns in their midweek Absa Premiership encounter, with Reyaad Pieterse, Thabo Mnyamane and Thuso Phala replacing Ronwen Williams, Kingston Nkhatha and Aubrey Modiba.
Steve Komphela also made three changes from his squad that defeated Chippa United 1-0 in their league tie, with Sibusiso Khumalo, George Lebese and Bernard Parker returning to the starting line-up in place of Tsepo Masilela, Edmore Chirambadare and Gustavo Paez.
Kaizer Chiefs got off to a bright start and had a chance to take the lead within the first minute of game when Siphiwe Tshabalala’s defence-splitting pass found Joseph Molangoane in space on the right, but the winger’s cross failed to threaten.
The home side looked threatening through the combination of Ramahlwe Mphahlele and Molangoane, but the latter proved wasteful when getting in dangerous areas.
SuperSport were starved of possession by the home side. They seemed content, but their long-ball strategy to Jeremy Brockie did not prove fruitful.
The visitors came agonisingly close to scoring in the 41st minute, but Thuso Phala’s surging run and resultant shot was parried away by Itumeleng Khune.
Baxter’s side came out in the second half with more of an attacking intent, but it was Chiefs who came closest to scoring from the restart when Khumalo’s enticing cross was almost met by Tshabalala at the back post, but the cross was too high.
Lorenzo Gordinho did well to stop Mnyamane’s goalbound effort in the 54th minute, before Bernard Parker’s shot went inches wide a minute later after a great lay-off by Malongoane.
Khune made a great reaction save from Mnyamane in the 68th minute to keep his side in the encounter, and produced the same heroics a minute later when he palmed Brockie’s header over the bar. However, Brockie would get on to the scoresheet from the resultant corner as he volleyed home from within the area.
Komphela immediately responded by introducing Paez and William Twala for Khumalo and Lebese respectively as Chiefs threw numbers forward in search of the equaliser. The move paid dividends when Chiefs drew level in the 81st minute as Mphahlele headed home Twala’s cross.
Khune made another excellent save in the dying minutes of the match to deny Brockie’s well-struck volley as the two sides were forced into extra time.
Chiefs were awarded a penalty in the 103rd minute of the encounter when Dean Furman was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area, but Pieterse stopped Parker’s resultant spotkick.
Neither side were able to find the winner during the extra-time period as penalties prevailed.
SuperSport United advanced to the semi-finals of the Nedbank Cup with a 5-3 victory on penalties after George Maluleka missed his spot-kick against the crossbar.
Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
