By Obakeng Meletse
AMATUKS added to Moroka Swallows’ woes on Wednesday night in what has been a season to forget for the Soweto-based club.
The Dube Birds were eliminated from the Nedbank Cup following a 2-1 last-16 defeat to Motsepe Foundation Championship Side University of Pretoria at the Tuks Stadium in Pretoria.
Thabang Sibanyoni was the hero for the home side with a stoppage-time winner to send AmaTuks into the quarter-finals.
Swallows have now gone through six games without a win in 2024.
Defender Tebogo Mohlamonyane hit a grass cutter and put AmaTuks in front for his first goal of the season in the 58th minute.
Mohlamonyane was played in from inside the box and put his laces through the ball on the volley past Swallows goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi through a crowd of players, and the Nigerian shot-stopper only saw the ball whistle past him and into the back of the net.
Tuks went to sleep and let Swallows have an exchange in the box, and teenager Lwanda Mbanjwa was left unmarked and had all the time in the world to pick his spot.
He did that to perfection as he curled a left-footed shot past the diving Edward Maova in the 79th minute, and the Dube Birds were flying high again.
Swallows were coming under increasing pressure, even though coach Musa Nyatama had made three changes at the beginning of the second half.
The goal conceded didn’t stop Tuks from knocking on the door right until the end, and in the 91st minute, Sibanyoni grabbed the winner for AmaTuks as a shot from inside the box put Tuks in front for the second time on the night – and that was Swallows’ season summed up in a half.
𝐅![CDATA[]]>𝐓 | 𝐔![CDATA[]]>𝐧![CDATA[]]>𝐢![CDATA[]]>𝐯![CDATA[]]>𝐞![CDATA[]]>𝐫![CDATA[]]>𝐬![CDATA[]]>𝐢![CDATA[]]>𝐭![CDATA[]]>𝐲 𝐨![CDATA[]]>𝐟 𝐏![CDATA[]]>𝐫![CDATA[]]>𝐞![CDATA[]]>𝐭![CDATA[]]>𝐨![CDATA[]]>𝐫![CDATA[]]>𝐢![CDATA[]]>𝐚 2️⃣-1️⃣ 𝐌![CDATA[]]>𝐨![CDATA[]]>𝐫![CDATA[]]>𝐨![CDATA[]]>𝐤![CDATA[]]>𝐚 𝐒![CDATA[]]>𝐰![CDATA[]]>𝐚![CDATA[]]>𝐥![CDATA[]]>𝐥![CDATA[]]>𝐨![CDATA[]]>𝐰![CDATA[]]>𝐬
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) March 13, 2024
AmaTuks adavance to the quarterfinals of the #NedbankCup, courtesy of Thabang Sibanyoni's stoppage-time goal ⚽ pic.twitter.com/fXdoEW0sUg
It was a game of two halves, and the second half delivered much more entertainment, but once again, the Nedbank Cup has delivered another upset.