Kaizer Chiefs won through to the second round of the lucrative Absa Cup when they scored a hard-fought 3-1 win over Sundowns at the Odi stadium on Sunday. Chiefs led 1-0 at half-time.
The first half was electric. Both sides produced quality soccer that saw the action swing from end to end.
Sundowns signalled their intentions from the kick-off when playmaker Clement Mazibuko sent a screamer over the Chiefs crossbar. Mazibuko was off-target in the 19th minute, and two minutes later, Chiefs Junior Khanye was also wide.
Downs keeper Andre Arendse pulled off a magnificent save from a 25-metre free kick from John ”Shoes” Moshoeu in the 23rd minute. At the other end Chiefs keeper Rowen Fernandez did well to prevent Siaka Tiene from scoring from close range in the 27th minute. In the 33rd minute Mazibuko hit the side netting.
Disaster struck Sundowns when referee Jerome Damon awarded the visitors a penalty when he adjudged that defender Sashi Chalwe had pushed substitute striker David Radebe inside his penalty area. Moshoeu made no mistake with a classic penalty.
Sibusiso Dlamini put Amakhosi 2-0 ahead in the 56th minute. But the goal seemed to inspire Sundowns who threw caution to the winds and were rewarded when Hilton Jordaan outjumped the Chiefs defence to head home Mazibuko’s 62nd minute corner.
Radebe should have scored in the 74th minute but he miskicked with only Arendse to beat. With Downs piling on the pressure, Chiefs broke into a counterattack in the 87th minute with Moshoeu slipping the ball to substitute Jabu Mendu who beat Arendse with a low, hard shot to make it 3-1.
Meanwhile, the Silver Stars were made to sweat before overcoming determined first division side Uthukela 2-1 after extra time in Polokwane on Sunday.
The visitors from KwaZulu Natal put on a brave fight, but inexperience denied them a chance to beat PSL team Stars.
Stars had several gilt-edged chances to win by a far greater margin but poor finishing saw them settle for a one goal margin.
The home side scored first through Jan Motloung in the 63rd minute. It took Uthukela only seven minutes to find an equaliser from Sandile Khoza. The teams were locked at 1-1 at full time.
Stars’s winner was scored by substitute Surprise Moriri in the 118th minute of a largely dull encounter.
Moroka Swallows swept Hellenic aside at Pam Brink Stadium on Sunday and by so doing, booked a place in the last 16 of the tournament. The Beautiful Birds beat the Greek Gods 2-0. Swallows led 2-0 at half-time.
They mounted their attack from the opening minute and came close to scoring, but striker Shaun Permall let them off the hook as he failed to make use of the scoring opportunity.
The opening goal came through a penalty when Hellenic’s defender Ronald Kelly handled the ball inside the box in the 20th minute.
Referee Daniel Bennett pointed the spot and Gary McNab made no mistake.
Seven minutes later Mark McVeigh made it 2-0 when he took advantage of goalkeeping error by Dithebe. Defender Ashley King committed a foul inside the box in the 75th minute and Bennett awarded Swallows their second penalty. But McNab’s shot hit the upright.
Hellenic tried hard but could even find a consolation goal. – Sapa