Kaizer Chiefs are though to the MTN8 semi-finals after beating Cape Town City 2-1 at the Athlone Stadium on Sunday afternoon, with the winning goal coming in stoppage time.
This was the tenth time Chiefs have played City in Cape Town, but it was the first time they were playing each other at Athlone Stadium. Eight previous games were played at the DHL Stadium, while one match took place at Newlands Rugby Ground.
It was an opening fifteen minutes that would’ve encouraged Chiefs, as the visitors buoyed on by a boisterous crowd, looked to use their pace out wide.
But it was City who would go in front in the 24th minute with the first shot on target, as Marc Van Heerden headed in Taahir Goedeman’s cross. Brandon Petersen’s effort to save was to nought, as the ball was adjudged to have crossed the line.
Former City man Mduduzi Mdantsane went narrowly wide in the 29th minute with a first-time shot from just outside the box.
Khanyisa Mayo should have made it two nil in the 34th minute, but skied his effort over.
And it proved to be costly, as Ashley Du Preez levelled matters three minutes later, running onto a delightful ball from Mdantsane, before calmly finishing past Darren Keet.
Chiefs could have gone in front in the 42nd minute, but some last-ditch defending from City denied Tebogo Potsane a scoring opportunity.
Level at the break, the game opened up in the second 45, Mdatsane firing wide and high three minutes into the second period.
A similar chance fell to Darwin Gonzalez at the other end in the 55th minute, but his effort was also wayward, as was a Goedeman effort ten minutes later.
Mayo’s header was off target in the 67th minute, while Christian Saile forced a save out of Keet with a shot in the 79th minute. Keet saved again four minutes later, as Du Preez tried to curl one in from the left.
Chiefs went even closer in the 85th minute as Mdantsane’s effort with the goal gaping struck the upright and City were able to clear.
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Petersen saved Thabo Nodada’s long-range attempt later in the 88th minute, while Jo Pancencia’s header a minute later went wide. At the other end, Du Preez tested Keet again, but his shot lacked power and failed to trouble the City keeper.
Just as it looked to be heading to extra time, Edson Castillo grabbed the winner, beating Keet from a tight angle and Chiefs booked their place in the semi-finals.
