Amakhosi lucky to go through in penalties
Other results: Cape Town City 20 Bloemfontein Celtic; Highlands Park 2-0 Chippa United; Free State Stars 3-1 Bidvest Wits (aet); SuperSport United 1 – 0 Ajax Cape Town (aet) IF IT wasn’t for the spectacular 83rd minute power outage, this Telkom Knockout Cup last 16 tie would have been quickly consigned to the pages of history.
The fact that a penalty shootout was needed to separate the sides highlighted the ding-dong nature of the match even though it predictably ran out of steam. So did Kurt Lentjies and Deolin Mekoa who missed their spot kicks.
However, the power outage will forever be ingrained in the memories of those who were present as the darkness was punctuated by lightning. The lights came back 10 minutes later but play was held up because of unsafe conditions, from where play resumed at 22.24pm. The rain hardly relented but the lighting eventually did.
While the power issue was beyond referee Thando Ndzandzeka, he did not seem to prioritise player safety. It formed part of his officiating copybook which was already blotted by questionable decisions.
How Ndzandzeka did not award Maritzburg United a 17th minute penalty when Kgotso Moleko handled the ball in the box when Blessing Moyo tried to dribble past him beggared belief. He also let Moleko off the hook when he head-butted Moyo in the 80th minute.
The rub of the match’s green was not on United’s side as their two goalscoring chances found different ways of ending in the back of the net.
Kaizer Chiefs No 1 Itumeleng Khune was forced into a great 31st minute save by Luyanda Ntshangase, who got past Willard Katsande and Moleko on the right flank.
Denis Weidlich’s 34th minute long range beat everyone but the left upright. Those two chances summed up United’s resolve and their willingness to take the match to the hosts.
Chiefs were not quite outgunned and they should have taken the lead in the second minute but Michelle Katsvairo’s lack of composure saw his shot go wide with Maritzburg goalkeeper Bongani Mpandle beaten.
That was their only clear-cut opportunity as they spent the rest of the half making sure they weren’t being overrun in midfield.
Even though Chiefs finally started to show some attacking intent with George Lebese, Hendrik Ekstein and Sibusiso Khumalo asking questions of Mpandle’s ability, the players channelled their coach Ernst Middendorp’s famed pig-headedness and refused to let the hosts dictate terms.
While Chiefs’ chances were a matter of Steve Komphela’s charges turning on their creative charm, the Bevan Fransman-marshalled defence held firm.
The action was minimal but United were fortunate to escape when Brian Onyango’s clearing header from a 118th minute Siphiwe Tshabalala freekick bounced off Erick Mathoho’s chest and onto the outside of the upright. That’s where the fortune ended for the visitors. Penalty sequence: United: Lentjies (missed), Onyango, Fransman, Mekoa (missed)
Chiefs: Katsande, Lebese, Lorenzo Gordinho, Keegan Buchanan