Durban City edge Arrows on penalties

Durban City © Backpagepix

Penalties were required to separate Golden Arrows and Durban City in the Nedbank Cup this weekend, as the latter advanced to the semifinals of the tournament following a 5-4 win via spot kicks at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday night.

Following a largely timid start to the match, Durban City recorded the first attempt at goal in the 12th minute as Samkelo Maseko made his presence felt going forward. Terrence Mashego found Maseko in the area with a well-delivered cross, but the attacker’s shot was subsequently saved by Edward Moava in goal.

Durban City continued to press midway through the first-half, after Bokang Mokwena came close to opening the scoring with a headed effort that went narrowly wide.

Arrows battled to create notable scoring chances due to Durban City’s pressure for large parts of the half, with the latter well settled after the 30-minute mark. Durban City managed to take the lead in the 36th minute through Fezile Gcaba, who capped off Saziso Magawana’s cross from a corner with a finish from close range.

While chances were hard to come by for Abafana Bes’thende during the first-half, Siyanda Ndlovu attempted to break the deadlock from range in the 40th minute but to no avail.

Arrows came out fighting in the second-half as seen with Khulekani Shezi’s shot from outside the box in the 47th minute following a corner situation. At the other end of the pitch, Bokang Mokwena likewise tried to hit the target from range but saw his effort go wide to the left of Maova’s goal.

Abafana Bes’thende levelled matters at the hour-mark after Thokozani Khumalo added his name to the scoresheet with a well-taken header from the centre of the goal following Ayabulela Maxwele’s well-timed cross into the danger zone.

The pace of the game subsided somewhat toward the end of regulation time as both sides battled to make their chances stick en route to goal. Durban City were reduced to 10-men at the 78th minute mark after Athini Jowdwana received his marching orders late on.

With the game tied at 1-1 after 90 minutes, extra time provided Arrows and Durban City the opportunity to play for another 30 minutes.

Joslin Kamatuka and Ayabulela Maxwele took long-range shots to make things happen for their respective teams in extra-time but saw their attempts doing little damage. Also joining in on the action was Isaac Cisse, whose right-footed shot from outside the area went high off the mark in the 114th minute.

Following a gruelling contest at the King Zwelithini Stadium, the game eventually went toward the dreaded penalty shootout as the coaches summoned their troops for last minute instructions.

During the shootout, Thokozani Khumalo was first to miss from the spot after Darren Keet made a timely save. Kyle Jurgens then saw his effort saved by Maova, while Ayanda Jiyane hit the post to give Durban City the advantage.

Nonetheless, Durban City won the game through conversions by Thabo Nodada, Sphiwe Mahlangu, Emmanuel Jalai, Ronaldo Maarman and Mfanafuthi Mkhize respectively.

Golden Arrows: (0) 1 (Khumalo 59’)

Durban City: (1) 1 (Gcaba 36’)

*Durban City win 5-4 on penalties

Golden Arrows: Maova, Mafuleka (Cele 67’), Mabaso, Jiyane, Shezi (Phillips 90’), Maxele, Cisse, Msomi (Theron 58’), Sithole (Khumalo 58’), Dion (Nguse 76’), Ndlovu

Durban City: Keet, Gcaba, Ncanana, Mkhize, Mashego (Mahlangu 75th), Jodwana, Poggenpoel (Nodada 68’), Jurgens, Magawana (Sifumba 87’), Maseko (Kamatuka 68’, Maarman 111’), Mokwena (Jalai 67’)

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