Bruce Bvuma s embraced by the Kaizer Chiefs' faithful after the club beat Stellenbosch in the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals this past weekend.
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Orlando Pirates kept their Nedbank Cup three-peat dream alive after defeating SuperSport United 5-4 in a penalty shootout at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
It was a heartbreaking defeat for SuperSport, who showed great determination and resilience but ultimately fell short. They stunned Pirates with a late second-half equaliser, forcing the match into extra-time and, eventually, a penalty shootout.
Scoring two goals in regulation time against the highly rated Premiership outfit Pirates was an achievement, but SuperSport eventually succumbed in the dreaded penalty shootout. That stands out as one of the five key takeaways from Mzansi's weekend football action.
Goodman Mosele of Orlando Pirates.
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Goodman Mosele scored the winning penalty to keep Pirates in contention to defend their Nedbank Cup title as the reigning champions. He joined the fray late in the second half, which ended in a 2-2 stalemate, forcing the match into extra-time. Mosele then secured the victory with the decisive penalty in the 5-4 shootout. Pirates fans will remember that just two weeks ago, he also came off the bench around the hour mark and netted a late winner against Cape Town City in Orlando.
Stellenbosch vs aizer Chiefs match official Sikhumbuzo Gasa.
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Referee Sikhumbuzo Gasa blew the final whistle in Saturday's Kaizer Chiefs vs Stellenbosch clash at a time when the under-fire Kaizer Chiefs were at their most desperate. The match ended controversially, with Chiefs winning 3-1.
TV screens captured a glum image of Chiefs' bigwigs Bobby and Kaizer Motaung Jr raising their heads heavenward in gratitude. They were eternally thankful that “Father Nightmare” had bypassed the Chiefs’ camp.
They, along with thousands of Chiefs fans, would also be grateful to Gasa, who overruled his linesman's decision to signal a foul on the Stellenbosch goalkeeper. As a result of ignoring his assistant’s call, Chiefs were declared winners and secured a spot in the 2025 Nedbank Cup semi-finals.
Saturday’s match between Sundowns and Sekhukhune was called off due to a double-booking at Lucas Moripe Stadium. The postponement now works in Sekhukhune’s favour, as they will have their new coach in the dugout when the match is eventually played, rather than relying on stand-in coaches.
Additionally, two of their key players, Keletso Makgalwa and Katlego Otladisa, were injured and would have missed Saturday’s match. With the delay, both stars could be fit and available for the rescheduled clash against Sundowns.
The PSL's decision to force Stellenbosch to surrender their home-ground advantage and move the match to the Eastern Cape — rather than adjusting the date to keep it in the Western Cape — proved to be a major win for Chiefs fans. Approximately 43 000 supporters turned up to watch their team in action.
The Amakhosi faithful played a vital role as the 12th man on two fronts. Their relentless cheering lifted the team’s spirits when they were struggling against the Capetonians. Chiefs’ Thabo Cele later thanked the crowd for their support during difficult moments. But their most significant impact came in the closing moments when they erupted in protest after a linesman flagged for an offense, disallowing Chiefs' last-minute goal. Many on social media speculated that the referee was swayed by the fans' reaction and ultimately awarded the goal.
Premiership side Marumo Gallants needed a penalty shootout to edge past First Division upstarts Durban City in Sunday’s Nedbank Cup quarter-final. After 120 minutes of play, the teams remained deadlocked, but Gallants held their nerve in the shootout, converting all their penalties. City, however, missed two of their four spot-kicks.
Despite the result, match statistics showed that City matched their Premiership opponents in nearly every aspect of the game. Moreover, Gallants committed three yellow-card offenses, while City emerged with a clean disciplinary record.
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