JOHANNESBURG – Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns lost home cup ties in a shock-riddled midweek start to the South African football season.
Former African champions Pirates fell 1-0 against Ajax Cape Town at Orlando Stadium in Soweto with top-flight debutant Ndiviwe Mdabuka scoring the early second-half winner.
Expensively-assembled Sundowns paid dearly for conceding a late extra-time equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Bloemfontein Celtic, who won 4-2 on penalties at Lucas ‘Masterpieces’ Moripe Stadium near Pretoria.
There were goals galore at Soccer City stadium in Soweto as title-holders Kaizer Chiefs came from two behind to beat Maritzburg United 5-3 in a thriller that required extra time.
And 120 minutes of football were also necessary at Bidvest Stadium close to central Johannesburg before hosts Wits emerged 3-1 victors over SuperSport United.
So, Chiefs and Wits expectedly and Ajax and Celtic unexpectedly go into a draw Thursday for the two-leg semi-finals of the South African 8 knockout competition.
The novel competition offers just one prize — eight million rand ($625,000, 575,000 euros) to the winners.
That is an excellent financial return for four matches considering the winners of the CAF Confederation Cup pocket $660,000, and must play a minimum of 16 matches, of which eight are away.
Millions of football fans and the mobile telephone company which bankrolls the South African 8 will be sad to see Pirates eliminated and the chance of a ‘dream’ final against arch rivals Chiefs disappear.
But traditionally poor travellers Ajax were worthy winners after soaking up first-half pressure with Finnish goalkeeper Anssi Jaakkola producing several fine saves.
Mdabuka, a second division footballer last season, struck on 55 minutes with a hard, low, edge-of-the-box snap shot past goalkeeper Brighton Mhlongo.
New Chiefs coach Steve Komphela joined from Maritzburg during the close season and he watched his former club punish careless defending to build a 2-0 half-time advantage.
But reigning league champions Chiefs stormed back to lead within 18 minutes of the restart only for close-season signing Siyanda Xulu to concede a late own goal, level the match at 3-3 and force extra time.
Xulu atoned by putting Chiefs ahead and substitute Hendrick Ekstein put the outcome beyond doubt with a fifth goal a minute into stoppage time.
After 90 goalless minutes, Burundian Fiston Abdul Razak scored on his competitive debut for Sundowns following a mid-year move from Kenyan outfit Sofapaka.
Musa Bilankulu nodded a 118th-minute equaliser after a free-kick manoeuvre got the hosts napping and Celtic converted all four shootout spot-kicks while Sundowns fluffed two.
New signing Daine Klate and Namibian Henrico Botes scored within three extra-time minutes to allow Wits coach Gavin Hunt celebrate success over the club he guided to three league titles.
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