Cape Town City’s Dutch recruit Chris David came off the bench to score from a sensational 88th-minute freekick in a 2-1 league victory over league champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
After their giant-slaying feat at Athlone Stadium on Tuesday night, City coach Benni McCarthy now declares the PSL title race officially on.
“Pirates, Sundowns, City and Wits. It’s now just a nice title race, now it’s interesting,” said a bullish Benni.
In what was a pulsating encounter in which both teams dished out some fantastic attacking football, the Tshwane team took a 1-0 lead into the break thanks to Lebohang Maboe’s early strike.
McCarthy’s team talk once again fired up his team, waking them from their slumber.
EQUILISER: Kermit Erasmus. PICTURE: BACKPAGEPIX
And in the 52nd minute, Kermit Erasmus’ thunderous strike brought the Citizens back into the game.
They played with their usual voema after that, dropping the conservative approach they displayed in the first half. David came on late to help City record a famous win.
“Sundowns are proven to be the best team in the league. They don’t make it easy for you, but I think when the mindset starts to kick in, then my team needs to understand that they need to show resilience, Benni said.
“And when you work harder than your opponents with the quality that we have, as much as they might be the top team in the league, we know what we have as a team.
“Second half we defended like a team and we attacked like a team and it became a bit easier.
EQUILISER: Kermit Erasmus. PICTURE: BACKPAGEPIX
“We had a combination of luck and brilliance of a European player who has been dying for a free-kick, gets on and nets it. Brillant game of football.”
City now moves to 39 points, and third on the log, one below both Sundowns and Orlando Pirates at the top of the table.
Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane felt his side deserved at least a draw: “We played well. If Themba Zwane smashes that one that came off the post, it’s a different story.”