Sundowns are Nedbank Cup champs
Sundowns are Nedbank Cup champs
Posted: 2008-05-24 14:37
Mamelodi Sundowns are the 2008 Nedbank Cup champions after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over First Division Mpumalanga Black Aces at the Johannesburg Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Final will not go down as a classic as both sides neutralised each other with some excellent defending, but a stunning strike two minutes from time from Lerato Chabangu that was worthy of winning any football match in the world was enough to separate the sides.
It was tough on Aces, who were looking to become the first team from the second tier of South African football to win a cup competition, but they can be proud of their efforts on the day as they frustrated Sundowns for so long.
Downs coach Trott Moloto will be delighted with the win, which goes with their SAA Supa 8 Cup Final victory over Kaizer Chiefs earlier in the season, and goes some way to making up for the disappointment of losing in the Final of this competition last season to Ajax Cape Town.
Nedbank Cup Final Blow-By-Blow:
1 mins: An we are underway at a sunny Jo’burg Stadium.
5 mins: Chabangu floats an early free-kick into the area, but Aces clear well. Both teams have given away possession too easily in the opening exchanges.
10 mins: The first shot on goal is a speculative one from Chabangu from 35 yards. It goes well wide. Aces have settled down a bit and Musasa fails to get on the end of a good ball across goal from the right.
12 mins: Babale misses another Chabangu free-kick and Gilbert is forced to head over his own crossbar with the ball dropping dangerously close to the goal-line. The keeper needs to show more authority than that.
17 mins: Sundowns are on top, but have yet to create a clear-cut opportunity. Aces need to start stringing some passes together to get their rhythm.
22 mins: The game is still being played mostly in the middle third of the field, with both defences comfortably on top. The game needs a goal, or at least a bit of magic, to liven it up.
27 mins: Baloyi makes a brilliant save from Dinha. A long throw finds its way to the back post after a flick-on and Dinha drills his shot low and hard, but Baloyi’s reflexes come to the fore and he beats the ball wide. The first real chance of the game. YELLOW CARD for Felix Musasa after he clattered into Chabangu.
32 mins: Nyandoro gets a YELLOW CARD as well as he brings down the speedy Mbatha after being beaten for pace. Rooi gets his head on the ball from the resultant free-kick, but the effort lacks power and Baloyi saves easily. At the other end, Chabangu tests Babale, but the keeper saves comfortably. Dinha fires another free-kick straight at Baloyi. The game is livening up now!
37 mins: Nyandoro makes space brilliantly with two defenders tight on him, and he lays the ball on for Dladla, whose shot from the edge of the area is high and wide. Mbatha cannot continue after that challenge from Nyandoro and is SUBSTITUTED by the Nigerian Emmanuel Emenike.
42 mins: Chabangu tries a shot-cum-cross that almost sneaks into the back post over Babale, who has looked uncertain from crosses all game.
HALFTIME: Kabamba Musasa has a shot on the turn, but the ball floats wide. Baloyi flattens Gilbert as the two go for a cross, the goalkeeper’s attempt to punch the ball seeing him landing a solid blow on Gilbert’s cheek. It was accidental though, and the big defender is soon up and about. Referee Jerome Damon blows for halftime and brings to the close a first half that only showed flashes of entertainment from the two teams.
46 mins: And we are back underway!
51 mins: Sundowns waste an early free-kick chance when Chabangu puts his effort too close to Babale.
56 mins: Acuna does his hamstring as he chases a through-ball. That is his cup final over. He is SUBSTITUTED by Brent Carelse. Gilbert goes very close with a shot from 30-yards that has Baloyi beaten, but goes just wide of the post.
61 mins: The second half is much like the first, opportunities are at a premium.
66 mins: Kabamba Musasa has a shot on the volley after hesitant defending from Manzini, but Baloyi saves. Sundowns get a free-kick right on the edge of the box, but Ndlovu’s low drive is brilliantly saved from Babale. Seconds later, Babale’s problems with crosses is highlighted again as he allows Carelse to get in ahead of him, but the midfielder cannot connect with the ball. He should have scored. Machaka gets a YELLOW CARD for a foul on Carelse.
71 mins: Sundowns are starting to create more chances. This time a Ndlovu fires wide from an angle. He should at least have hit the target.
76 mins: Aces are having to defend with everything they have as extra time looms. Tornado Mongale comes on as a SUBSTITUTE for Jacob Machaka.
81 mins: Neither side seems to want to commit too many players forward. Will this game be decided on a piece of brilliance, or a horrible mistake?
86 mins: The chances have all dried up. It looks certain we are headed to extra time now …
88 mins: GOAL! I spoke to soon! Chabangu fires home a stunning volley from 10 yards that gave Babale absolutely no chance. Amazing strike from the Bafana Bafana forward.
FULLTIME: That’s it! It was hard work, but Sundowns come out on top and perhaps just deserve it on the day. Spare a thought for Aces though, who battled bravely and put up an excellent display.
THE TEAMS
Black Aces: 32 Michael Babale, 25 Felix Musasa, 5 Lucas Tlhomelang, 30 Thabang Rooi, 34 Gordon Gilbert, 24 Lindokuhle Mbatha (29 Emmanuel Emenike 37th), 7 Essau Mtsweni, 22 Edelbert Dinha, 8 Vusiwe Masondo, 18 Jacob Machaka (15 Tornado Mongale 77th), 35 Kabamba Musasa
Sundowns: 91 Brian Baloyi, 30 Vuyo Mere, 25 Michael Manzini, 20 Robyn Johannes, 24 Shere Lekgothoane, 9 Josta Dladla, 3 Esrom Nyandoro, 6 Jorge Acuna (21 Brent Carlese 56th), 8 Lerato Chabangu (2 Oscar Ntwagae 90th), 14 Surprise Moriri, 23 Peter Ndlovu
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