Casric Stars continued their giant-killing run in the Nedbank Cup, adding the scalp of AmaZulu to that of Orlando Pirates with a 2-1 win in extra time in the quarter-final at a blustery Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday afternoon.
The teams were tied at 1-all at the end of regulation time, with Mfundo Thikazi’s opener for Casric Stars in the 11th minute cancelled out by veteran Pule Ekstein’s equaliser for Usuthu early in the second half.
Nedbank Cup Quarter-Final
The match seemed destined for penalties before substitute Decide Chauke popped up to stab home the winner deep in the second half of extra-time for coach Joseph Mthombeni’s Motsepe Foundation Championship side from Mpumalanga.
Casric Stars forward Lelethu Skelem proved a handful for the Usuthu defence with his pace on the counter. He set up Thikazi perfectly to score from a fast break in the 11th minute after the visitors had survived an early goalmouth scare.
Key Moments
Here are the key moments from the match:
- Mfundo Thikazi opens the scoring for Casric Stars in the 11th minute
- Pule Ekstein equalises for AmaZulu in the 48th minute
- Decide Chauke scores the winner for Casric Stars in extra time
With the Nedbank Cup behind them, AmaZulu will now have to channel all their energy towards finishing in the top 4 as always has been their target. For more information on the Nedbank Cup, visit the PSL website.
Casric Stars, on the other hand, will be looking to continue their giant-killing run in the semi-finals. They will face a tough opponent, but their confidence and determination will make them a formidable team to beat. You can read more about the team on the Soccer Laduma website.
