KAIZER Chiefs hopes of winning the league and cup double went up in smoke last night when they got booted out of the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals following a 5-3 defeat to SuperSport United on penalties at the FNB Stadium.
Amakhosi were hoping to increase their chances of winning a double having last tasted the success under coach Stuart Baxter in 2014/15 season.
The Soweto giants are involved in a neck to neck title race with Cape Town City, Bidvest Wits and Mamelodi Sundowns, while SuperSport have lost their grip following two successive defeats (5-0 and 1-0) to the Brazilians.
Third placed Chiefs are a point behind City as they are tied on 45 points with second placed Wits.
Chiefs defender Ramahlwe Mphahlele cancelled Jeremy Brockie’s 71st minutes lead ten minutes later to force the game to extra time.
Amakhosi striker Bernard Parker missed the chance to grab the winner from the penalty spot in the 105th minute as his shot was saved by Reyaad Pieterse after SuperSport captain Dean Furman held the ball inside the box.
Chiefs midfielder George Maluleka missed from the spot as SuperSport converted all their penalties to secure a place in the semi-finals.
There was a moment of silence before kickoff for former Chiefs coach Jeff Butler who past away yesterday morning.
Chiefs coach Steve Komphela has yet to win a trophy since he replaced Baxter having lost two finals, the MTN8 Cup to Ajax Cape Town and Telkom Knockout to Sundowns last season.
Amakhosi came into the match boasting an incredible 14 match unbeaten run in all competitions. Komphela made three changes to his starting line-up that beat Chippa United 1-0 in a league game last weekend.
He brought in Sibusiso Khumalo for Tsepo Masilela, while he preferred winger George Lebese ahead of Edmore Chirambadare.
Bernard Parker had the nod upfront in place of Gustavo Paez.
This is Baxter’s last chance to have some silverware in their cabinet this season having lost the Telkom Knockout final to City.
Baxter made two changes to the side that lost to Downs on Wednesday as Thabo Mnyamane returned to the team after suspension.
He replaced Kingston Nkatha, while Thuso Phala came in for Aubrey Modiba. Brockie haunted Chiefs keeper Itumeleng Khune as he unleashed a thunderous shot into the net to give his side the lead having forced him to make an incredible save a minute earlier.
But Mphahlele rescued Amakhosi with a great header.
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