Cape Town City paid the price for their wastefulness in front of goal as Kaizer Chiefs eliminated them from the Telkom Knockout on penalties on Saturday.
The hosts created better chances in the first half and after the game were forced to extra time, but they were punished by PSL leaders Amakhosi for not being ruthless enough.
Coach Benni McCarthy’s manne were quick out of the blocks and threatened to dish out some pay-back after they let slip their lead in a 2-1 Newlands defeat in the league at the end of the August.
But not before City got lucky when a 28th-minute penalty was awarded to Chiefs when the referee saw centreback Taariq Fielies handle the ball as he got across to block Khama Billiat’s shot.
After City midfielder Mpho Makola was lucky enough to stay on the pitch for pushing the ref in protest, the good fortune continued as Daniel Cardoso hit his spotkick effort over the goal.
QUALITY: Kermit Erasmus, centre, got the opener. Picture:Phando Jikelo/ANA.
City finally got the ball into the back of the net when Kermit Erasmus controlled a long ball and rifled in an unstoppable strike from 25 yards out.
The closest City would come again was when Mpho Makola hit the woodwork with 20 minutes to play.
But by this time, Chiefs were pushing for their equaliser with City holding on.
The visitors would not be denied, though.
FRUSTRATIONS: Benni McCarthy. Picture: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix.
With three Chiefs players waiting at the back post for a cross, the ball fell to substitute Samir Nurkovic and goalkeeper Peter Leeuwenburgh couldn’t block the Serb’s close-range volley.
Young Shane Roberts twice failed to find the winner in extra time and once Ebrahim Seedat and Fielies had missed their spotkicks, it was over for City.