Durban City hold their nerve in shootout to reach Nedbank Cup quarter-finals

Durban City booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Nedbank Cup after edging Upington City 2-0 in a dramatic penalty shootout at the Mxolisi Dicky Jacobs Stadium on Saturday evening.

The two sides could not be separated at 0-0 after 90 minutes and extra time, forcing the tie into penalties to determine who would advance.

Upington were reduced to 10 men for much of the second half and the entirety of extra time following the dismissal of Mario Visagie. However, despite enjoying a numerical advantage, the KwaZulu-Natal outfit were unable to break the deadlock before the shootout.

Upington had hoped to mirror what Durban City achieved last season by reaching the last eight after eliminating TS Galaxy at the same stage of the competition. Instead, they found themselves on the wrong side of a tense encounter between two teams well acquainted from their Motsepe Foundation Championship days.

With a quarter-final berth at stake, previous meetings counted for little. Both sides had already eliminated PSL opposition in the last 32, progressing via penalties — a clear indication that another tight affair was likely.

The match unfolded cautiously, with neither side prepared to take early risks. Although half-chances were created, clear-cut opportunities were scarce, and composure in the final third was lacking. Hot conditions added to the intensity, resulting in a scrappy but fiercely contested contest.

The game’s potential turning point arrived in the 66th minute when Visagie, introduced for Siyabonga Khumalo, received two quick bookings and was sent off. Yet even with the advantage, the visitors failed to capitalise.

In the shootout, Joslin Kamatuka and Vuyisile Ntombayithethi were first up for their respective sides, but both failed to convert. Further misses from the home side’s Keabetswe Rakosa, Muravha Cele and Siyabonga Mtombeni deepened Upington’s frustration.

Although Brooklyn Poggenpoel also missed for the visitors, the Citizens converted enough of their attempts to seal a hard-fought 2-0 shootout victory, with the home side failing to score a single penalty.

Once again, spot kicks proved decisive — and this time, the KZN outfit held their nerve to secure progression.

* Obakeng Meletse is Independent Media’s multi-sport writer. For fresh video content, follow TheClutch or click the link on the side. YouTube channel The Clutch