AmaZulu move up with quick-fire goals

Two goals in the space of three minutes midway through the second half ensured AmaZulu filled the final place in the quarter-final draw of the Telkom Knockout as they beat a flatlooking Cape Town City 2-0 in the last of the first round matches, played at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Tuesday.

AmaZulu woke up after a pedestrian first half performance to suddenly take charge of the game after the break and progressed with goals from Emiliano Tade and Bongi Ntuli, which ended a run of five matches without success.

The first half was characterised by both teams pressing each other into a myriad of mistakes with a heady turnover of possession and little opportunities in front of goal.

City looked perhaps the slicker of the two sides on the ball with AmaZulu rarely getting into the attacking third through the first 45 minutes.

But they did get a fortuitous chance midway through the first half when City skipper Thamsanqa Mkhize gave away the ball and Tade was allowed a shot at goal.

The rebound fell for Ntuli whose effort went past goalkeeper Sage Stephens but was cleared before it got near the line by City defender Keanu Cupido. After the break, it took until past the hour mark for the first chance as Tade had a belter blocked by Kwanda Mngonyama. But almost immediately the Argentine import broke the deadlock after a darting run down the right from Thembela Sikhakhane who perfectly placed the ball back for Tade to calmly slot it away in a lesson in how to finish which local strikers can learn from.

This was quickly followed by Ntuli, who took advantage of hesitation from Mngonyama in clearing a throw-in.

He nicked in around him to squeeze the ball past Stephens.

The result was sealed after that as City never looked like fighting back and went limply out of the competition at the first hurdle, just weeks after winning the MTN8.

● Holders Bidvest Wits are away at Maritzburg United in the quarter-final of the Telkom Knockout after the draw conducted in Durban on Tuesday.

Kaizer Chiefs will host SuperSport United, who beat them over two legs just two months ago in the MTN8 semifinals. AmaZulu have a home game against Orlando Pirates.

The dangerous Baroka were handed a home game against champions Mamelodi Sundowns