Thwihli Thwahla fight back to send Citizens packing

Lantshene Phalane of Royal AM celebrates goal during the 2022 Nedbank Cup Last 32 match between Royal AM and Cape Town City on the 12 February 2022 at Chartsworth Stadium / Pic Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

by Staff Reporter

Saturday Feb 12, 2022. 17:44

Royal AM battled back from an early goal down to beat Cape Town City 2-1 at Chatsworth Stadium on Saturday afternoon to advance to the Nedbank Cup round of 16.

John Maduka’s side went behind as early as the ninth minute when Khanyisa Mayo struck for the Citizens to give them the lead at half-time, but an own-goal from Katlego Mokhuoane on 50 minutes leveled matters and Lantshene Phalane completed the comeback win four minutes later.

The first-ever cup-tie between the two clubs was an action-packed affair, with Thwihli Thwahla having the first sight at goal on eight minutes when Victor Letsoalo collected a cross inside the box and fired wide of the right post.

However, City would open the scoring from their first chance moments later as Mayo received the ball from Thamsanqa Mkhize and finished into the top-left corner of the net from inside the area.

The visitors threatened to double their lead twice around the quarter-hour mark, with Craig Martin failing to keep his header down from Terrence Mashego’s cross before Tashreeq Morris pulled his shot just wide of the left post from inside the box.

Thabo Matlaba was just unable to pick out the far corner with a strike on the left that went narrowly wide of the right post on 21 minutes, while at the other end of the pitch Mduduzi Mdatsene got on the end of Martin’s cross but steered his header over the crossbar in the 25th minute.

The KZN outfit pushed for an equaliser before the break and Thato Lingwati attempted to beat Hugo Marques at his near post from a tight angle on 38 minutes but shot wide before Tebogo Potsane tested the City keeper with an effort from range six minutes later.

It took the hosts just nine second-half minutes to turn the tie on its head. They were level on 50 minutes when Mokhuoane inadvertently put the ball into the back of his own net and Phalane then picked out the top-left corner of the goal from a direct free-kick four minutes later.

Royal AM had their tails up now and both Letsoalo and Potsane went close with shots from inside the box that missed to the left of the goal.

Eric Tinkler’s men had very few opportunities in the closing stages as Mokhuoane and substitute Jaeden Rhodes tried their luck from distance, but neither effort troubled Patrick Nyame in the home goal as Thwihli Thwahla progressed to the next round of the cup competition.

Royal AM (0) 2 (Mokhuoane OG 50′, Phalane 54′)

Cape Town City (1) 1 (Mayo 9′)

Royal AM: P.Nyame, Z.Mkhize, T.Matlaba, T.Lingwati (S.Mabuza 74′), S.Manganyi, K.Mahlasela (J.Ncobeni 89′), V.Letsoalo (M.Mogaila 89′), L.Phalane, T.Potsane (M.Thikazi 89′), M.Machuphu, G.Mashikanya (S.Msomi 67′).

Cape Town City: H.Marques, T.Mkhize, I.Fasika, T.Fielies, T.Mashego, T.Mokeke (K.Cupido 79′), R.Mokhuoane, M.Mdantsane (J.Rhodes 67′), C.Martin, T.Morris, K.Mayo (T.Goedeman 79′).