McCarthy proves he learnt his lessons well
THE student once again managed to get the better of his teacher after Benni McCarthy’s Cape Town City beat Gavin Hunt’s Bidvest Wits in a pulsating MTN8 semifinal at the Bidvest Stadium yesterday.
McCarthy had the look of a man who had just passed his final exams with flying colours after City beat the more fancied Wits 3-1 on aggregate to book a date with SuperSport United in the final.
A Robyn Johannes own goal gave the home side the lead in the 12th minute, but City equalised through another own goal from new Egyptian striker Ahmed Gamal Amr in the 28th minute.
Wits thought they had regained the lead a minute later after Slavko Damjanovic beat Shu-Aib Walters with a low shot in the 29th minute.
But the referee ruled Damjanovic’s effort offside‚ to the irritation of the home supporters who were already on their feet and dancing in celebration to the sounds of the brass band playing in the stands.
Given the flurry of chances created by the two sides‚ it was surprising the score was still 1-1 when the referee blew his whistle to signal half time.
McCarthy will have been the more relieved of the two coaches as Wits were asking a lot of questions of the City rearguard‚ desperate to claw their way back into the match.
City returned a more solid outfit in the second period and they suddenly looked more composed and assured as they went in search of another goal.
It was the Cape Town upstarts who finally took control of the proceedings when striker Lehlohonolo Majoro held off a challenge from Bafana Bafana captain Thulani Hlatshwayo‚ turned‚ picked his spot and unleashed a low shot that beat Wits goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs.
City‚ who have punched well above their weight under greenhorn coach McCarthy‚ held onto their lead to deservedly win the two-legged semifinal tie.
McCarthy was beside himself when the referee signalled the final whistle‚ recognising the enormity of his club’s performance away from home.
Hunt gave a 16-year-old McCarthy his professional debut in 1995 at Seven Stars and the student has certainly developed a habit of making life difficult for his teacher in the last few weeks.
City beat Wits 1-0 in the opening league match of the season last month and they repeated the trick in the two legs of the MTN8 semifinals.
Meanwhile, Jeremy Brockie earned praise from his coach after putting behind him his transfer dispute with the club to deliver two goals and see SuperSport United into next month’s MTN8 final.
“He’s shown a lot of maturity and he’s understood that the opportunity for him to make a move will come‚” delighted coach Eric Tinkler said after the 2-0 away win over Maritzburg United in the second leg of their semifinal on Saturday. It ensured a 3-1 aggregate triumph. “We obviously know what his qualities are and he showed it again‚ which is good for him and for us.”
Brockie passed the 50-goal mark for SuperSport in just 90 starts and has now scored 24 cup goals alone in a remarkable conversion rate.
The New Zealander had been the subject of protracted courting by Mamelodi Sundowns but SuperSport has consistently refused these overtures, insisting Brockie see out his contract.