Mamelodi Sundowns snuck past Polokwane City 1-0 to book their ticket in the MTN8 semi-final at Lucas Moripe Stadium, in Pretoria, on Saturday.
With the sides locked goalless after 90 minutes, an own goal from Polokwane’s Thabang Matuludi in extra time proved to be the difference.
In fact, Polokwane City were probably the more likely side to score in extra time after Sundowns keeper Denis Onyango was sent off in the 83rd minute.
After the match, the semi-final fixtures were confirmed with Sundowns set to take on Stellenbosch FC and Cape Town City up against Orlando Pirates in the other fixture.
On Saturday, Cape Town City FC beat Sekhukhune United 1-0 courtesy of a Darwin Gonzalez penalty two minutes from full time in their MTN8 clash, at Peter Mokaba Stadium.
Horror of horrors for Thabang Matuludi 😫
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) August 11, 2024
📺 Stream #MTN8 live: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc pic.twitter.com/HjZU51efPL
Penalty strike the difference
With the sides having failed to find a breakthrough as the 90-minute mark approached, Gonzalez converted from the spot to fire his side into the semi-finals of the first cup competition to open the new season.
Last week, Orlando Pirates ousted SuperSport United 3-1 in extra time at Orlando Stadium in the first of the MTN8 clashes.
In the other contest a week ago, Stellenbosch FC also ran out 3-1 victors as they trounced TS Galaxy at Danie Craven Stadium.
Not one to mince his words, TS Galaxy coach Saed Ramovic afterwards slammed the pitch at Danie Craven Stadium.
"You come to a game where probably a cow could break their legs and then I ask myself how the PSL could allow the game to be played on such a pitch,” said Ramovic.
"Now they have increased the MTN 8 money, they can increase it up to 100 million but they have to fix the fields and not allow my players, a professional team to play on a pitch like this, it's a disgrace and it's embarrassing," Ramovic said.