Gustavo Paez stings for Chiefs
IMAGINE the amazing stories the Acornbush United players and supporters would have been telling this morning were it not for Kaizer Chiefs striker Gustavo Paez.
For a while yesterday, Acornbush were on their way to a fairytale victory over a fullstrength Amakhosi side in the Nedbank Cup last 16.
Paez, however, spoilt what would have been a party of note with a brace in the final 15 minutes of the enthralling encounter to inspire Amakhosi to a 2-1 come-from-behind win.
Leading up to the game, Acornbush made it clear they would play without any fear of Chiefs. They were not bluffing.
They fought hard from the beginning, keeping it tight at the back whenever Amakhosi threatened their box.
They were confident in possession of the ball as well.
The hosts, who beat Cape Town City in the last 32, had the best chance of the first half when Mduduzi Nkosi was put through by a pass from midfield.
Nkosi did well to round Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, but the left winger put his shot wide of goal.
At the other end of the pitch, Chiefs’ Joseph Molangoane forced a save from Acornbush goalkeeper Sibusiso Masuku on the break minutes later.
But Acornbush were down to 10 men just before the halfhour mark, when Sandy Nyathi was shown a red card for a tackle on Willard Katsande.
The red card did not deter them. They defended well, clearing whatever came their way and they were soon rewarded at the other end of the pitch before half time.
Rhulani Sidumo, a Chiefs product, gave the ABC Motsepe League outfit the lead with a header from a Nkosi cross.
Acornbush defended too deeply in the second period and they were twice punished by Paez.
Meanwhile, a brace from Fiston Abdoul Razzak helped Bloemfontein Celtic ease into the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals with the 2-1 win over National First Division side Mbombela United.
Razzak’s goals, in the first and second half, extinguished any hopes the inconsistent Mpumalanga side had of progressing further in the tournament.
They came into the fixture on the back of three losses in their last five matches.
Ghanaian Razzak bundled the ball in from a Lyle Lakayinduced goal-mouth scramble in the 28th minute.
It was due punishment for the visitors‚ who could have taken the lead in the 18th minute if it were not for Jabulani Dhladhla’s tentativeness.
The right back found himself in space after collecting Thapelo Mathibe but he side-footed straight at the advancing Ayanda Mtshali.
It was the same case just before the break when Dhladhla again could not get the beating of Mtshali from a counterattack that caught the Celtic defence at sixes and sevens.
Tshediso Padjie also had a very good chance in the 13th minute but Mtshali was equal to the task.
Razzak completed his brace in the 55th minute as the Mbombela United defence failed to deal with a Kabelo Mahlasela cross from the right.
Razzak should have collected his hat-trick in the 85th minute but he inexplicably missed in front of the posts with only goalkeeper Malcolm Jacobs to beat.
Inky Masuku’s header found a way past Mtshali in the 88th minute but it was a case of the horse having long bolted. – Additional reporting by Khanyiso Tshwaku