CAPE Town City pulled off a upset with a 1-0 victory over in-form Orlando Pirates to advance to the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals.
The Buccaneers were without Luvuyo Memela, who failed a late fitness test and was pulled out a competitive team.
Thabo Qalinge who spent a month on the sidelines due to an injury made his come back, while Augustine Mulenga earned his debut start.
The Citizens must be complimented for having absorbed the pressure coming from Pirates, who were backed by a good crowd at the Cape Town Stadium.
Ayanda Patosi’s solitary goal sent the crowd, from his home city into a huge triumph 10 minutes into the second half when he took the Citizens into the lead after taking advantage of Pirates questionable defence, marshalled by captain Happy Jele and Marshall Munetsi.
Pirates technical team of Rulani Mokwena and Milutin Sredojevic responded with a double substitution, introducing Thabo Matlaba and Bernard Morrison for Mulenga and Qalinge.
It almost looked like an inspiring change when Morrison came within a whisker from finding the equalizer, but it took an unlikely character in Teko Modise to clear it from crossing the goal-line.
Thembinkosi Lorch headed over as City tried to absorb. Soaking pressure against this Pirates front-line is not an easy undertaking, and in the 78th Shonga broke down the right and his low strike was stopped off the legs of City keeper Sage Stephens who also had a great game.
Cape Town City's became the last team to complete the quarterfinal teams made up of Kaizer Chiefs, Ubuntu Cape Town,Bloemfontein Celtic, Baroka FC, Maritzburg United Free State Stars and Mamelodi Sundowns.
Now the Citizens will be part of the last-8 draw of the competition which is set to take place on Thursday evening at Nedbank offices in Cape Town at 7pm.
