CAPE TOWN CITY TO FACE SUPERSPORT IN MTN8 FINAL REPEAT
Cape Town City will face SuperSport United in the 2018 MTN8 final following a 4-2 penalty shoot-out win over Mamelodi Sundowns at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The two-legged tie ended 1-1 on aggregate following goals from Taariq Fielies in Cape Town and Toni Silva in Atteridgeville.
Silva set his sights on an early goal and tested Peter Leeuwenburgh with two minutes on the clock, but the goalkeeper was well positioned to make an easy save.
Sundowns continued to dominate the early exchanges and the opener finally came in the 25th minute. Guinea-Bissau international, Siliva, with his first for the club.
Leeuwenburgh failed to hold onto Themba Zwane’s powerful effort, José Alí Meza was quickest to react on the loose ball, and the forward duly teed up Silva for an easy finish.
City almost hit back seven minutes later through Craig Martin. The Citizens speedster embarked on a lung-busting run from within his own half, weaved past a couple of static defenders, before taking aim at goal, but Denis Onyango was on hand to deny the attacker with a world class save.
Sundowns should’ve doubled their lead in the 39th minute following a quick counter-attack. Silva found Themba Zwane in acres of space, but the midfielder fell over his own feet with clean run-in at goal beckoning.
The visitors emerged from the tunnel following the break in desperate search of a vital away goal and went close through Thamsanqa Mkhize in the 48th minute.
Following a mad scramble in the penalty area, the City skipper could only succeed is blasting his shot over the crossbar with the goal at his mercy.
The Citizens dominated both possession and territory for most of the half, but the Sundowns defence held firm with the hosts looking increasingly dangerous on the break.
Anthony Laffor almost converted his first touch of the ball, after coming off the bench, following a blistering counter . The Liberia international, though, could only succeed his skying his header attempt from close range in the 70th minute following a inch-perfect cross by Meza.
Both teams endured nervy moments in the closing stages of the clash, but neither could find the back of the net, and with nothing to separate the two teams on aggregate after 180 minutes of football the game headed to penalties.
Leeuwenburgh denied both Silva and Laffor with City converting all four of their attempts, as they duly set up a repeat of last year’s MTN8 final.
Mamelodi Sundowns 1
Silva 25′
Cape Town City 0
1-1 on aggregate
City won 4-2 on penalties
Mamelodi Sundowns: Onyango; Langerman, Lebusa, Arendse, Morena, Mabunda, Kekana (Maboe 47′), Zwane (Lakay 75′), Sirino (Laffor 69′), Silva, Meza.
Cape Town City: Leeuwenburgh; Seedat, Fielies, Mngonyama, Mkhize, Nodada (Matsi 54′), Modise, Patosi (Akosah-Bempah 84′), Norodien (Links 39′), Martin, Rusike.
