Kaizer Chiefs crashed out of the Nedbank Cup in the first round after losing on penalties to Motsepe Foundation Championship side Milford FC.
Nedbank Cup
Result: Kaizer Chiefs 0-0 Milford FC (Milford won 5-4 penalties)
Date: 25 February 2024
Venue: FNB Stadium
Chiefs made five changes following their goalless draw against Royal AM, as they handed Happy Mashiane his first of the season alongside recalls for Sibongiseni Mthethwa, Edmilson Dove, Zitha Kwinika and Mduduzi Shabalala.
Amakhosi had a blistering start as in the first seven minutes Ashley Du Preez had a shot that crashed against the crossbar and Edson Castillo had strike that was cleared off the line.
The Glamour Boys continued to create chances as Dove came close with a header and Christian Saile also had a strike that missed narrowly wide.
The hosts pinned back Milford in their own half and just after the half-hour mark Saile came close again with a header from close-range that missed slightly wide after a corner by Nkosingiphile Ngcobo.
Chiefs pressurized the Stallions towards the end of the first stanza and Nkosingiphile Ngcobo had a chance just before the break with a strike that was saved by shot-stopper Siphamandla Hleza and the first stanza ended goalless.
Chiefs needed a different spark going forward and immediately after that Cavin Johnson made a triple attacking change as Mfundo Vilakazi got his first team debut alongside Pule Mmodi and Ranga Chivaviro.
The Glamour Boys had the spark they were looking for as ten minutes before time Dove came very close to breaking the deadlock with a strike at the near post that produced a great reflex save from Hleza in one-on-one.
Chiefs were spirited to get what would be the winner in the dying minutes as Chivaviro almost broke the deadlock with a shot that was spilled into the post Hleza.
Milford knew how to run down the clock with gamesmanship in the tail end and held on to a goalless draw in regulation time, as the encounter went into extra-time.
The Soweto giants had a lifeline on the stroke of half-time of extra-time after they were awarded a penalty for a handball in the box by Unathi Somabhele. However, Chivaviro's spot-kick was saved by Hleza, who kept Milford in the game.
Chiefs had a numerical advantage in the last nine minutes after Vusumuzi Mthabela got a second yellow card and was red-carded for Milford.
Amakhosi camped in and around Milford's box and had a chance cleared off the line towards the end, as the Motsepe Foundation Championship side held on to a stalemate in extra-time and the game went to penalty shootouts.
The Stallions won the penalty shoot-out 5-4 after Castillo missed a spot-kick for Chiefs and goalkeeper Hleza scored a winning penalty for the KwaZulu-Natal side.
Here's how they lined up:
Kaizer Chiefs: Bvuma, Mashiane, Dove, Msimango, Kwinika, Mthethwa, Castillo, Ngcobo, Shabalala, Du Preez, Salie
Subs: Petersen, Ngcobo, Dolly, Maart, Mmodi, Chivaviro, Solomons, Duba, Vilakazi.
Milford: Hleza, Thabela, Mbhele, Ngxongo, Somabhele, Mthiyane, Ndlabi, Nzama, Zikakayo, Gxakoshe, Chili
Subs: Madondo, Cele, Vilakazi, Mbambo, Mthethwa, Mkhize, Sivaya, Sigomoshe, Magubane
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