CAPE TOWN - GladAfrica Championship side Cape Town Spurs sent Premiership outfit Baroka crashing out of the Nedbank Cup after winning the penalty shoot-out 5-4 in a last 32 encounter at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Monday evening.
After the mandatory five penalty shoot-out, the teams were level-pegging at 4-4, but once the contest went into the sudden-death stage, Baroka fluffed their first effort and Spurs capitalised by converting their next spot-kick.
Earlier, the teams ran out to a sodden playing surface after heavy downpours before the kick-off.
Spurs made all the early running against a Baroka side which showed nine changes. Spurs were particularly penetrative down the flanks, but failed to strike up an understanding with their marksmen in the firing zone.
Baroka managed to change the flow of the game after 10 minutes and over the next 15 minutes, Spurs were pinned down in their half. At one stage, Baroka's pressure produced four corners in the space of two minutes, but nothing emerged from the set-pieces as Spurs' defence were quick to clear their lines.
Around the half-hour mark Spurs managed to shake off Baroka's hold on proceedings with a few attacking runs down the right channel where defender Patrick Fisher overlapped to good effect. He also reeled in several threatening goalmouth crosses.
Spurs defender Thendo Mukumela stalked into the striking zone and outjumped the opposition defence to produce a deft header which was goal bound until Baroka's goalkeeper Oscarine Masuluke tipped the ball over the crossbar in the 42nd minute.
Against the run play, Baroka opened the scoring a minute into added first-half time through striker Richard Mbulu. He latched on to an upfield kick with a well-struck first-time volley which left Spurs goalkeeper Lincoln Vyver flatfooted between the sticks.
Mbulu twisted his ankle in the process and was stretchered off, leaving Baroka to finish the half without his services. He did, however, re-join the fray in the second half.
Spurs returned for second half play undeterred by their first-half setback and fashioned several attacking sorties in the opening 12 minutes, which they made good with an equaliser by striker Ashley Cupido who connected with a goalmouth feed by midfielder Cohen Stander.
Spurs had two scoring chances in quick succession eight minutes later but desperate defence by Baroka averted further danger.
In the dying stages of regulation time, Spurs held the initiative and set up numerous half chances but failed to undo the stalemate, which meant extra time was unavoidable.
After extra-time failed to produce a winner, the contest went to the dreaded penalties stage.