In front of a capacity crowd at Mafikeng’s Mmabatho Stadium, Kaizer Chiefs beat defending Vodacom Challenge champions AS Vita of the Democratic Republic of Congo 6-5 in a penalty shootout after playing to a 1-1 draw on Sunday afternoon.
AS Vita were leading 1-0 at the break.
AS Vita striker Batshi Tshiozola capitalised when Chiefs captain Patrick Mabedi cleared the ball off the line back to Tshiozola, who made no mistake to beat Chiefs goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez in the 22nd minute.
Chiefs’ new coach, Ernst Middendorp, made a double substitute early in the second half, pulling off Simpiwe Mbambo for Junior Khanye and David Radebe for David Mathebula respectively, and it worked.
Chiefs’ oldest player, midfielder John ”Shoes” Moshoeu, equalised for Amakhosi inside 61 minutes after receiving a neat pass from Mathebula, and beat Vita goalkeeper Pascal Kelemba for the game to go into a penalty shootout.
The referee ordered a penalty shootout as stipulated in the competition rules and Amakhosi won on sudden death, as there was no extra time.
Five successful penalty kicks for Chiefs were taken by Patrick Mabedi, Fabian McCarthy, Gerald Sibeko, Junior Khanye and Rowen Fernandez.
Kalobo Guylian, Nsumbu Kasembwe, Matumonia Zola, Batshi Tshiozola and Melambo Mutamba kicked the penalties for AS Vita.
Then David Mathebula missed the sixth penalty for Chiefs and Pascal Kelemba missed for Vita.
It was left to Amakhosi’s left back defender, Bevan Fransman, to score the winning goal as Mwamba Kakanda missed for Vita, giving Chiefs the opportunity to meet the winner between Orlando Pirates and Green Buffaloes in the final of the Vodacom Challenge next Sunday at the Absa Park Stadium in Durban. — Sapa