Cape Town City defeated Baroka FC 4-3 at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Saturday in a thrilling Telkom Knockout quarterfinal.
The match went the full distance of 120 minutes and the Citizens needed a late goal from substitute Sibusiso Masina to finally overcome Bakgaga, who fought back from 0-2 and 2-3 down to send the game to extra time.
The Cape side started strongly and claimed a deserved lead eight minutes into the match, with Lebogang Manyama and Aubrey Ngoma combining to cut open the hosts’ defence before Lehlohonolo Majoro had an easy finish into an almost unguarded net.
Just 12 minutes later CTC doubled their advantage, with Ngoma getting to the by-line on the left of the box before chipping a cross into the middle for Bhongolwethu Jayiya to arrive late and easily head home for 2-0.
CTC appeared to be in complete control, but on the stoke of half time they conceded what coach Eric Tinkler will consider an unacceptably sloppy goal, with Baroka defender Mathari Mothupa heading home from a free kick.
Baroka then hit back for a second time to level the score just before the hour mark, with Jacky Motshegwa getting his left foot to a dropping ball outside the box and volleying home for 2-2. Goalkeeper Shu-Aib Walters appeared to be unsighted when the shot came in.
The match looked set to finish at 2-2 and head to extra time, but instead it finished 3-3 before the extra half hour, with Given Mashikinya scoring a superb free kick to put CTC ahead in injury time, only for Mzwanele Mahashe to respond with a neat turn and shot into the net within 60 seconds.
Chances were created at either end in extra time, but it took until the 115th minute for the seventh goal to arrive, with Manyama teeing up Sibusiso Masina to drive home a low shot and put Cape Town City 4-3 up.
Baroka FC (1) 3 (Mothupa 45+1’, Motshegwa 59’, Mahashe 90+2’)
Cape Town City (2) 4 (Majoro 8’, Jayiya 20’, Mashikinya 90+1’, Masina 115’)
Baroka: Masuluke, Mothupa, Shaku, Mahashe, Lietsisa, Matloga, Aucho (Motshegwa 24’ [Makgaka 88’]), Zikalala, Moeti, Munetsi, Dube (Massa 32’)
CTC: Walters, Putsche (Moseamedi 90+5’), Gumede, Johannes, Seedat, Jayiya (Masina 63’), Ngoma (Mashikinya 60’), Mkhize, Mokeke, Manyama, Majoro