FC Cape Town reaches final eight

FC Cape Town fired blanks for most of the night, but eventually scrambled their way into the quarterfinals of the lucrative Nedbank Cup with a 1-0 win against the more-fancied Winners Park at the Blue Downs Stadium on Wednesday night.

Enver Kakree got the goal that mattered in the 64th minute after the home side had dominated play, but failed to trouble the scorers.

Star striker Marchelino Fransch was especially wasteful, missing the target from positions he would normally score with his eyes closed.

Full credit to Winners Park, who never gave up the fight and but for some woeful finishing late in the match would have been the team to advance.

Dolf Khesa must be kicking himself for not having hit the back of the net on two occasions when he had the goal at his mercy and goalkeeper Thembalethu Moses stranded.

Moses covered himself in glory with excellent handling under the high ball.

However, Boebie Solomons's side must have known it was not to be their night when, with the score still 0-0, a goal-bound shot from Booler Shabalala was superbly cleared off the line by Breslyn Hempe.

"Bring on Black Leopards," shouted FC Cape Town boss Errol Dicks, whose son Darren saw red three minutes before the final whistle.

At first glance it looked like a harsh decision by referee Ace Ncobo as the young defender showed no malice in stopping a theatrical Khesa in his tracks.

"I thought we did very well in a very tough encounter," added Dicks. "We are hoping to draw Leopards in the next round as we feel we might just have the beating of them."

Black Aces secured a 1-0 victory over FC AK in Wednesday's night's other tie to join FC Cape Town, Mamelodi Sundowns, Santos, Leopards, AmaZulu, Nathi Lions and Free State Stars in the quarterfinals.