Benni McCarthy’s Cape Town City were shown who’s the boss by Kaizer Chiefs in their 2-0 Nedbank Cup quarterfinal defeat at the Mbombela Stadium on Sunday.
Klein gemaak by the big Chiefs in the first half, City were lucky not to go into the break more than one goal down.
Such was Chiefs’ dominance from the first whistle that their goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma’s first touch of the match came in the 10th minute.
And that was from a rather flou effort by Kermit Erasmus after he got on the end of a through-ball down the left touchline, only to slip on his way to testing the Chiefs shot-stopper.
At the other end, City were busy as Chiefs got the better of their midfield.
BLUNDER: Edmilson's slip led to Chiefs' opening goal. Photo: Backpagepix.
While Bvuma’s first touch was easy, City goalkeeper Peter Leeuwenburgh made a super save in the sixth minute after a long curling shot from George Maluleka.
Then on the half-hour mark, Chiefs got their noses in front after a major blunder by defender Edmilson.
The Mozambique international slipped as he tried to make a clearance and the dangerous Khama Billiat then intercepted the ball before unleashing Bernard Parker.
Parker then set free Hendrick Ekstein, who steered the ball into the back of the net.
Chiefs weren’t done and launched attack after attack on the City goal but had to settle for a one-goal advantage at the break.
Exiting the tunnel for the second half, City went all-out in search of the equaliser.
FINISHER: Hendrick Ekstein completed slick move. Photo: Supplied.
Their biggest threat in that period came from Surprise Ralani down the left and it was he that provided a cross across goal for Zukile Kewuti, who then hit the upright with a header.
It wasn’t to be for them and instead it was Chiefs who doubled their lead in the 56th minute via Dumsani Zuma, who found the back of the net after Parker’s corner was expertly headed into his path from the far post by one of his teammates.
That goal basically sealed City’s Nedbank Cup fate and ended McCarthy’s dream of winning a treble this season.