Dladla helps Chiefs reach MTN8 final
Kaizer Chiefs advanced to their first MTN8 final since winning the tournament in 2008 after drawing 1-1 with Ajax Cape Town in the second leg of their semifinal at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday night.
The tie finished 1-1 on aggregate (the first leg was goalless), as Josta Dladla continued his superb start to the season with a fourth goal in as many games before Terror Fanteni equalised for the Urban Warriors to set up a tense finale.
The opening 15 minutes of the game suggested that it would be as tight and conservative an encounter as the first leg at FNB Stadium last week. However, the game soon came to life.
Chiefs’ Tinashe Nengomasha was the first to really threaten a goal, forcing a good save from goalkeeper Sean Roberts with a powerful long-range drive in the 19th minute.
That opportunity saw the game’s pace pick up and Roberts had to move quickly just two minutes later to clear ahead of the dangerous Leholohonolo Majoro as the Soweto side got their quick passing game going.
Ajax also got in on the attacking action on the half hour mark, with Terror Fanteni running onto a great long pass from George Maluleka, but his first time volley didn’t trouble Amakhosi ‘keeper Itumeleng Khune.
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With ten minutes of the first half left to play, Chiefs created the first clear scoring opportunity when a quick-fire build-up, featuring a superb first-time ball from Bernard Parker, put Siphiwe Tshabalala one-on-one with Roberts.
The Bafana midfielder got away a left footed shot, but Roberts did enough to keep it out before Thato Mokeke cleared the loose ball ahead of Josta Dladla.
The second half was much more open as compared to the opening 45 minutes and Roberts continued his superb showing with a breathtaking save from midfielder Lucky Baloyi in the 57th minute.
Chiefs finally had the beating of the Ajax ‘keeper in the 65th minute and again it was Josta Dladla who was the game breaker, scoring with a diving header after meeting Bernard Parker’s fine cross from the left flank.
Ajax responded well and drew level in the 75th minute, with Fanteni firing home a snap shot from Lebogang Manyama’s low cross from the right flank.
The Urban Warriors pushed hard to find a winner in the dying minutes but they didn’t quite have enough in the tank to turn the tie in their favour.
Chiefs will face either Mamelodi Sundowns or Orlando Pirates in the final in September. The two meet in the second leg of their semifinal at Loftus Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Ajax Cape Town (0) 1 (Fanteni 75’)
Kaizer Chiefs (0) 1 (Dladla 65’) – 1-1 on aggregate; Chiefs advance to the final on away goals
Ajax: (4-3-3) Roberts; Hlatshwayo, Mokeke (Rusike 76’), Allie, Jenniker; Maluleka, Vilakazi, Scott (Shabalala 89’); Billiat, Fanteni, Manyama
Chiefs: (4-4-2) Khune; Tau, Sweswe, Isaacs, Jambo; Dladla, Nengomasha, Baloyi, Tshabalala (Ngcobo 90+4’); Parker, Majoro (Yende 87’)