Cape Town City secure MTN8 Cup final spot

by Austin Ditlhobolo

Sunday Sep 10, 2017. 17:03

Cape Town City edged out Bidvest Wits 2-1 in the MTN8 Cup semi-final second-leg match at the Bidvest Stadium on Sunday.

The victory sees the Citizens book their place in the final after winning 3-1 on aggregate, while Clever Boys are knocked out of the tournament.

The match got to a lively start as the Clever Boys dominated possession in the opening stages of the encounter.

Wits desrvedly took lead in the 11th minute when Thulani Hlatshwayo fired home to make it 1-0 to the hosts after a scramble in the City box.

After conceding the Citizens pushed forward in numbers as looked to level matters and they equalized in the 27th minute.

Amr Gamal scored an unfortunate own goal from Ayanda Patosi's free-kick to make it 1-1 for City as the visitors regained the lead on aggregate.

Wits nearly scored in the 33rd minute, but Granwald Scott's header narrowly missed the target as the hosts pressed City.

Gamal also saw his effort cleared off the goal-line seven minutes later and score was 1-1 at the interval with City leading 2-1 on aggregate.

City suffered a blow 14 minutes into the second-half as Ronald Putsche went down injured and he was replaced Mpho Matsi.

However, the Citizens continued to launch attacks and they managed to take the lead for the first time in the 71st minute.

Lehlohonolo Majoro controlled the ball well in the Wits box, before firing past Wits keeper Moeeneb Josephs to make it 2-1 to City.

Frank Gabadinho nearly equalized for Wits in 74th minute, but City Shu-Aib Walters parried his powerful shot out for a corner-kick.

Wits did most of the attacking in the dying minutes of the match - attacking in numbers in search of three late goals.

However, City managed to contain Wits in the remaining minutes and they ran out 2-1 winners on the day.

Wits (1) 1 (Hlatshwayo 11')
City (1) 2 (Gamal 27' og, Majoro 71')

Wits: Josephs, Hlatshwayo, Damjanovic, Scott, Gamal (Rodgers 46'), Pelembe (Mhango 62'), Pule (Klate 46'), Hlanti, Pienaar, Kodisang, Frosler.

City: Walters, Mkhize, Fielies, Johannes, Seedat, Nodada, Putsche (Matsi 60'), Modise (Gumede 80'), Masina (Lakay 54'), Majoro, Patosi.