Civics dispatched rivals Ramblers 3-2 in a tense penalty shootout after 120 minutes of play, while Stars, who are the holders of the MTC Cup, outclassed Sport Club Windhoek (SKW) with a 2-1 victory to ensure the last final slot.

Civics and Ramblers were level at one-all after fulltime and were sent into extra time by referee Matthew Katjimune, but both sides failed to score any further goals, which culminated in a penalty shootout.

Brave Warriors and Ramblers striker Pineas Jacob struck first for Ramblers with a fine shot that bounced into goal after hitting the upright, leaving Civics goalkeeper Esau Tjiuoro flat-footed in the second quarter of the first half.

But towards the end of the break, substitute Brian Brendell scored through a simple tap in after a fine pass from teammate Floris Diergaardt who side-stepped Ramblers goalie Bullet Kanyemba Before that, tempers were high and the talented but ill-disciplined Eslin Kamuhanga got his marching orders, while his team manager, Paul Stramis, was also shown the red by Katjimune for repeatedly obstructing the fourth official in his duties and scolding the assistant referee.

A minus for Ramblers is that their captain, Michael Pienaar, was left out of the encounter for apparent indiscipline and lack of commitment to the team.

Civics could have extended the lead in the second half, but Diergaardt failed to convert a penalty that he was ordered to re-take by Katjimune.

He scored in his first attempt.

On the other end, the rampant Ramblers striker, Samson John, had a goal disallowed which eventually forced the match into a 1-all stalemate at full-time.

The extra time produced little, but the penalty shootout was a thriller and saw Jamu Ngatjizeko and Patrick M'kotwana both missing for Civics, while Nelson Akwenye, Loliepop Awaseb and Bernadine Mbilizi all failed to hit the target for Ramblers.

Akwenye, a specialist ball distributor who hardly finds the net for Ramblers unlike his days at Tigers, said: "I normally kick there.

Esau (Tjiuoro) knows where I kick from our spell with the Braves (Brave Warriors).

So I just decided no matter what I put it in that corner but hard, so with the hardness, I put too much swerve on it.

I was disappointed because it was level at that time."

Both Akwenye and Mbilizi had their shots going wide of the goal.

Ramblers coaches Tollie van Wyk and David Fransman, who had also won the NFA Cup before, were possibly the most disappointed duo on the day as they left immediately after their match.

But for Stars coach, Gilbert Raswoka, it was a wonderful evening as his charges impressively ran holes into the SKW defence, with Edison Muheua, Getzen Ndjiharine and Kanu Kandoruzu all having an outstanding match for Stars.

Stars got their first goal in the first half through a well-taken penalty by Pat-Nevin Uanivi, while their Zimbabwean import, Silver Suriyari, added the second after the break to demolish the spirit of SKW.

It was too late for SKW to make a comeback as substitute Schalk van Wyk pulled one back.

* Orlando Pirates beat Tigers 3-0 in an MTC Namibia Premier League match on Sunday.

Donny Isaacs, Frans de Muinda and Riaan Cloete were on target.

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