Kaizer Chiefs made a first-round exit from this year’s Absa Cup after going down 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out following a goalless extra-time game against Lamontville Golden Arrows at Olympia Park on Sunday afternoon.
Arrows were the more composed team for most of the 120 minutes of play, but were almost robbed of their triumph through a questionable refereeing decision.
The teams were level 4-4 when Chiefs goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez, in his customary role as the fifth penalty-taker, saw his spot-kick breathtakingly saved by Brendon Wardle -‒ only for referee Abdul Ebrahim to order a retake on the basis that the goalkeeper had moved forward before the kick was taken.
Fernandez’s second attempt was saved with equal aplomb by the heroic Wardle, with substitute Norman Smith completing a full house of successful penalties for the Durban team.
The slow-moving game in Rustenburg’s scorching heat contrasted markedly to the pulsating finale, with Chiefs playing at half pace for much of the time.
In the 15th minute Wardle was left in no-man’s-land. But with an empty goal confronting him like one of the gaping excavations at the nearby platinum mine, Kaizer Motaung Junior tamely shot wide of the post.
Arrows had nine shots at goal in the first half against only three by Chiefs and Fernandez was required to make a breathtaking save from the continually industrious, if often over-eager Mabhhuti Khanyeza in the 26th minute.
Arrows generally maintained their ascendancy during the second period and again during extra-time when Kagisho Dikgacoi was unlucky to see a swerving 20m shot strike the post and bounce clear.
But, in the end, youthful Arrows’s coach Mnqoba Mnqitha and his band of calculating marauders could not be denied after beating Chiefs for the second time in two weeks. – Sapa