Cape Town — Replacement goalkeeper Ntokozo Mtsweni made two saves in the penalty shoot-out to pave the way for Sekhukhune United to emerge victors against Stellenbosch in the Nedbank Cup semi-final clash at the Danie Craven Stadium on Sunday evening.
Sekhukhune ran out 4-3 winners in the penalty shoot-out after 120 minutes of football failed to produce a goal.
Sekhukhune will now face Orlando Pirates in the final at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on 27 May.
The opening half-hour produced end-to-end football and during this phase, ad already seven corners conceded as defences battled to cope with the pressure.
Most of the action was at the Sekhukhune deep end, where the defence surrendered four early corners. Two of these were conceded in the opening two minutes.
Stellenbosch produced several attacking sorties from the opening whistle, and score looked imminent. However, their early efforts were foiled, and a potent header by Júnior Mendieta, the Argentinian left-wing, was kept out by the upright. At the time Sekhukhune's Ivorian goalkeeper Badra Sangaré was beaten after he slipped in his attempt to reach the ball.
Sekhukhune did well with mostly penetrative transition play. They managed several final third entries and came close on two occasions. Stellies keeper Lee Langeveldt made two excellent first-half saves.
After enjoying a slight possession advantage, Stellenbosch had seven shots on goal, against three from the opposition but had to return empty-handed to the sheds when referee Philangenkosi Khumalo blew the half-time whistle.
Stellenbosch started like a house on fire when second-half play resumed, and they came within a whisker of scoring a minute later. They continued to apply pressure and forced two more corners three minutes later in quick succession.
After Sekhukhune absorbed this pressure spell they reversed the flow of the match with counter-attacks which Stellenbosch were hard-pressed to contain.
Just ahead of the hour mark Stellenbosch made a desperate clearance after Langeveldt parried a close-in Sekhukhune free-kick taken by Victor Letsoalo. Langeveldt's supporting defence cleared in the nick of time as Sekhukhune tried to pounce.
After this let-off, the Stellenbosch threat continued to loom large and after 25 minutes of second-half play, they had five more shots on goal, but the goal drought persisted.
As play moved past the 72nd minute, Sekhukhune enjoyed their best scoring chance when Pogiso Mahlangu unleashed a left-footed shot with the opposition keeper well out of position. However, his supporting defence came to his rescue with a goalline clearance.
As the match wound towards the end of regulation time, Sekhukhune looked the likelier to score and they forced a corner deep into injury time before extra-time came into play.
Sekhukhune immediately took the game to Stellenbosch, and the ploy nearly paid dividends, but Langeveldt again made a brilliant save.
In the final minute of extra time, both teams made goalkeeping changes.
IOL Sport