Kaizer Chiefs booked their passage into the semifinals of the 2023 Nedbank Cup, after a 2-1 win over Royal AM on Sunday evening.
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Chiefs needed an extra time penalty from midfielder Yusuf Maart in order to make it through to the next round of the competition, beating bogey side Royal AM.
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The hosts, Royal AM took the lead through a set piece header from early substitute Lesego Manganyi, but an ex-Orlando Pirates player Thabo Matlaba would soon be on hand or should that read on ‘head’ to gift Chiefs an equaliser with an audacious own goal header, that left his goalkeeper with no chance. That goal would prove to be enough to send the game to extra time, where Amakhosi would eventually find the winner.
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In a weekend which saw defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns knocked out, Chiefs would’ve felt their chances of winning the cup had increased. But they knew that they absolutely had to make it past Royal AM first. Quite possibly, they would’ve sensed that arch-rivals Pirates, who needed a penalty shootout to overcome third tier side and giant killers Dondol Stars, would then pose their biggest threat to overcoming their close to a decade trophy drought, with all due respect to Stellenbosch FC and Sekhukhune United.
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Although many would’ve been hoping to see a fixture between Chiefs and Pirates becoming a possible final, now only of those two Soweto giants will make it to the Nedbank Cup final. That is because, in the draw that ensued after the game, the two teams were pitted against each other in the semifinal stage.
Chiefs celebrate drawing Pirates in Nedbank Cup
While you would think both Chiefs and Pirates camps would’ve hoped to avoid each other and hopefully meet in a blockbuster final, that seemed to not be the case for those associated with Amakhosi. That was seen as before the draw, players and officials were heard screaming that they would like to been drawn against the Buccaneers. When they got their wish, they were then seen celebrating the outcome. Be careful what you wish for?
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Watch the Chiefs reaction to drawing Pirates below:
