Gallants stuck to their plan, sitting deep and absorbing pressure while looking to catch Sundowns on the break.
Marumo Gallants sent shockwaves in the Carling Knockout after eliminating 10-man Mamelodi Sundowns 7-6 on penalties in a scrappy affair at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday night.
Gallants goalkeeper Washington Arubi was the hero of the night, producing crucial saves in the shootout to deny Marcelo Allende, Fawaaz Basadien and Mosa Lebusa before calmly slotting home the decisive penalty himself in sudden death.
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The tie finished goalless after extra time, with neither side able to find their rhythm on a bumpy, uneven surface that stifled free-flowing football. Sundowns struggled to impose their usual dominance in the first half, with clear-cut chances few and far between.Â
The Tshwane giants improved after the restart, as Khuliso Mudau and Arthur Sales both came close to giving the hosts the lead, firing narrowly off target in quick succession.
Masandawana coach Miguel Cardoso opted against making changes at half-time, even though Bathusi Aubaas and Nuno Santos had both been booked in the opening period.
Gallants stuck to their plan, sitting deep and absorbing pressure while looking to catch Sundowns on the break.
The Brazilians dominated possession but lacked the cutting edge to break down a compact and disciplined defence. Cardoso eventually turned to his bench, introducing Teboho Mokoena for Aubaas on the hour mark in search of a breakthrough.
Later, new signing Miguel Reisinho made his debut, replacing Sales with 10 minutes remaining. However, the Portuguese midfielder’s night turned disastrous as he received a straight red card just six minutes after coming on for a reckless tackle on Siyabonga Nhlapho.
Mokoena came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock when his header rattled the crossbar in the 83rd minute, but Sundowns’ frustrations continued. With no goals after 120 minutes, the clash went to penalties, where Gallants held their nerve to secure a famous victory and progress to the quarter-finals.
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The result sees Bahlabane ba Ntwa join Durban City, TS Galaxy, Orlando Pirates and Golden Arrows in the last eight of the competition, while Sundowns are left to rue another missed opportunity in knockout football.
