Downs book their spot in final

Golden Arrows (0) 1 Mamelodi Sundowns (2) 2

GOALS: Arrows — Nduduzo Sibiya (80m); Sundowns — Hlompho Kekana (11m), Gaston Sirino (35m)

● A repeat of the 2015 Telkom Knockout final between Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs is very much on the cards after a 10-man Brazilians beat Lamontville Golden Arrows 2-1 at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in Durban yesterday.

This year’s final will be played at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban ( December 14), the same venue where Sundowns beat Chiefs 3-1 in the 2015 edition.

Amakhosi must, however, beat Maritzburg United at the Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga in the second semifinal today to join the Brazilians in what will be, without any doubt, another sold-out affair.

Pitso Mosimane’s side took a 2-0 lead to the break after Arrows defenders failed to close down Sundowns skipper Hlompho Kekana and talisman Gaston Sirino, who scored in the 11th and 35th minute respectively after being given ample space inside

For Mosimane, meeting Chiefs in the final will be a chance to erase memories of the 2-0 league defeat

the area.

Kekana headed in Lyle Lakay’s free kick before Sirino fired in his fifth goal in this competition after benefiting from a miscued shot by Kekana.

The pint-sized Uruguayan was, however, not to finish the match after referee Victor Gomes showed him a red card for a reckless challenge on Arrows captain Matome Mathiane seven minutes from time.

Arrows were simply outplayed in the first 45 minutes of this match, showing no signs of being capable of repeating what they did to Sundowns in a league (3-2 win) match two weeks ago. That was before Nduduzo Sibiya gave Steve Komphela’s men some hope in the 80th minute, tapping in Knox Mutizwa’s cross at the far post.

For Mosimane, meeting Chiefs in the final will be a mouthwatering prospect. The Sundowns mentor is eager to erase the memory of the 2-0 league defeat they suffered at home against Amakhosi in October.

Pressing Sundowns to win this cup is the fact that while they have won four league titles with Mosimane in the past six seasons, they have only won two domestic cup competitions during the same period.