Second division outfit Baroka FC stunned Premiership giants Kaizer Chiefs with a 2-1 victory in their Nedbank Cup quarterfinal clash in Polokwane on Sunday.
Chiefs took the early lead, but Baroka fought hard to stay in touch, equalising shortly before the break and sealing the winner as the clock ticked over for full time.
Amakhosi wasted a couple of chances early in the first half, with Knowledge Musona firing a shot centimetres over the crossbar in the fifth minute, and they had a goal disallowed for offsides in the 16th minute.
Baroka relied on the counterattack for their opportunities, and came close when Chiefs goalkeeper Ithumeleng Khune tipped a shot from Thobani Mncwango over the bar in the 26th minute.
Musona had another chance in the 34th when he flicked a close-range effort wide of the posts, but two minutes later he put Chiefs ahead when he latched on to a loose ball in the area and tapped it in.
Reneilwe Letsholonyane nearly stretched the lead when he hit the post in the 42nd minute, and two minutes later Baroka struck with the equaliser when Sam Ndlovu sent a glancing header into the back of the net.
Chiefs continued to set up golden opportunities, but wasted all of them, and Baroka nearly took the lead in the 71st minute when Khune kept out a dangerous deflection after a scramble in the Chiefs box.
The tenacity of the Vodacom League side paid off in the 90th minute when Mncwango slammed a close-range effort into the roof of the net to secure the win.
Chiefs coach Vladimir Vermezovic criticised his side for their poor finishing.
“We missed lot of chances and in football if you miss opportunities you have to lose,” Vermezovic said.
“But I would like to congratulate them [Baroka]. They fought unbelievably hard today and I wish them all the best in the semifinals.”
A delighted Baroka coach, Sello Chokoe, applauded his underdog team for a job well done.
“They didn’t need motivation from me, because that comes naturally in a game like this, but they gave it 100% today,” Chokoe said.
“They won, which is great for the people of Limpopo, and I’m very happy.” – Sapa