Result: Baroka FC 2-2 Hungry Lions (Baroka won 4-2 on penalties)
Date: 23 February 2020
Venue: Peter Mokaba Stadium
Baroka FC avoided a major Nedbank Cup upset after defeating ABC Motsepe League side Hungry Lions via a penalty shoot-out on Sunday afternoon.
Bakgaga made wholesale changes, with only Ethen Sampson, Ananias Gebhardt, Manuel Kambala, Gerald Phiri Junior and Sbonelo Ngubane surviving from the side that started against Bidvest Wits.
Dylan Kerr's charges made it to this stage of the tournament after edging provincial rivals Polokwane City 1-0 in the last 32, with Prince Nxumalo getting the all important goal.
Meanwhile, third-tier outfit Lions claimed their first big scalp by dumping out GladAfrica Championship side Jomo Cosmos 1-0 in the first round courtesy of a lone strike by Reanetse Ramatlhapeng.
The Northern Cape side were fired up to produce another giant-killing performance and after few chances in the opening exchanges, Lions eventually broke the deadlock ten minutes before the break after Sbonelo Ngubane headed a free-kick into his own net.
The Limpopo side had an uphill battle after that and they could not carve out clear openings in the closing phase of the first stanza, as Henry Basie's troops went to the break with a 1-0 lead.
The hosts had a bright start in the second stanza, as Evidence Makgopa found the equaliser three minutes from the break with a side-footed strike towards the far corner from a cross at the near post.
Lions made their first change just before the hour-mark, as Tshegofatso Chimuku came on for former Bloemfontein Celtic forward Moses Spandeel in a tactical move.
Meanwhile, Kerr needed fresh legs in midfield four minutes after the hour-mark as Kagiso Selemela came on for Rodwell Chinyengetere.
The sides were cagey in the closing phase of the first stanza, with the possibility of extra-time imminent and ultimately Baroka and Lions settled for a 1-1 draw in regulation time and extra-time was needed to determine the winner.
The ABC Motsepe League outfit had a good start in the first period of extra-time as they went 2-1 ahead in the fifth minute of extra-time thanks to an own goal by Sampson.
Bakgaga were fired up to rescue the game and they eventually levelled matters in the 12th minute of extra-time after Kambala unleashed a low strike from outside the box that took a deflection and wrong-footed Lions shot-stopped Clinton Davids.
Selemela had a glorious chance to snatch the winner for Baroka with six minutes remaining but he guided a free header at the back post over the bar from a cross on the left channel, sending the game to extra-time.
However, the extra 30 minutes did not make a difference for either side and the was to be decided penalties, where Baroka ran out 4-2 winners to advance to the quarter-finals.
Baroka: Dlamini, Makume, Makgopa, Kambala, Sampson, Phiri, Khwinana, Chinyengetere, Ngubane, Gerbhardt, Masiya.
Subs: Kazapua, Maloka, Mahangwahaya, Patjie, Chivaviro, Kgoetyane, Selemela.
Lions: Davids, Tau, Nkosi, Monaheng, Maritshe, Ramatlapeng, Gilbert, Nkosi, Spandeel, Arends, Rapatsinyana.
Subs: Sambo, Johannes, Chimuku, Borias, Mzimase, Maqhina, Mabena.
