DURBAN – Kaizer Chiefs were made to sweat at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Sunday afternoon as they inflicted revenge on SuperSport United with a 1-0 victory. The Amakhosi set up a date with their arch-rivals, Orlando Pirates in the semi-final of the Telkom Knockout.
Amakhosi will be at home and the defending champions, Bidvest Wits will visit Baroka FC in Polokwane in another semi-final.
The final will be contested at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on the 8th of December.
Chiefs will get another opportunity to inflict revenge to Pirates following the league derby defeat last week. Today, they did it against SuperSport.
Matsatsantsa A Pitori dumped Chiefs out of the semi-finals of the MTN8 earlier this season but it was a different story this time around at Moses Mabhida.
Amakhosi laboured to a 1-0 victory following an uninspiring second half display. They had to fight gallantly to defend their lead. Chiefs were defending with six players towards the end of the game in their quest to defend Mphahlele's strike.
Amakhosi were unlucky not to take the lead 16 minutes in to the match as Willard Katsande hit the woodwork after Matsatsantsa A Pitori failed to clear the ball in the box. Ronwen Williams was well beaten in the post but the woodwork came to his rescue and SuperSport survived.
Dumisani Zuma of Kaizer Chiefs is challenged by Richard Kissi Boateng of Supersport United at Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban on Sunday. Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Chiefs were found wanting at the back once again which has been their problem all season long. Lack of communication between Siyabonga Ngezana and Ramahlwe Mphahlele allowed Aubrey Modiba a space to get in between them and unleash a tame shot but his attempt went wide.
Chiefs fluffed a lot set-piece opportunities that were offered to them by SuperSport around the box.
Richard Boateng committed a blunder six minutes before the interval when he fouled Ramahlwe Mphahlele in the box and the referee, Daniel Bennet, had no choice but to give the penalty to Amakhosi.
Katsande hit the post for the second time in the match but seconds later Mphahlele saved Katsandes's blushes with a well taken strike to put his side upfront.
Kaitano Tembo made two double substitutions after the break for SuperSport. Reneilwe Letsholonyane and Ghampani Lungu made way for Evans Rusike and Thuso Phala.
Katsande was not having the best of games. He almost gifted SuperSport an equaliser with his sloppy pass but Khune did well to read the danger and cleared the ball as James Keene was waiting to pounce.
Chiefs failed to control the game the way they did in the first stanza and their supporters ran out of patience as they called for Solinas to make the change 60 minutes in to the match.
Five minutes later, Solinas, responded as he sent Aro Andrianarimanana to warm up.
Keeper Ronwen Williams of Supersport United at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday. Photo: Shivambu/BackpagePix
Fans cheered as Solinas answered their call. Bernard Parker and Dumsani Zuma were running out of steam and Chiefs needed numbers in the midfield.
Chiefs defence was always looking like a mistake waiting to happen. Mario Booysen was the culprit in the 70th minutes. He failed to clear the ball with his head and Modiba dispossessed him but his shot sailed wide.
Fans continued to roll their fingers as a signal that they want to see the change. The stadium management tighten up the security. Change finally came after 81 minutes as Bernard Parker made way for Philani Zulu.
Results:
Kaizer Chiefs (1) 1
SuperSport United (0) 0
The Telkom Knockout semi-final draw:
Kaizer Chiefs v Orlando Pirates
Baroka FC v Bidvest Wits