Telkom Knockout - Semi-Final
Result: Baroka FC (Mabeba 8') 1-0 Bidvest Wits
Date: 25 November 2018
Venue: Peter Mokaba Stadium
Baroka FC made history after defeating Bidvest Wits 1-0 to advance to the Telkom Knockout final, where they will face Orlando Pirates.
The Limpopo have qualified for their first-ever Telkom Knockout final after eliminating the defending champions.
The hosts got off to a fine start as Matome Mabeba opened the scoring for Bakgaga with an unstoppable left footed free-kick left Wits goalkeeper Darren Keet with no chance after seven minutes.
Cole Alexander almost equalised for the Clever Boys straight after the restart with a close range header inside the box that was impressively saved by Baroka shot-stopper Elvis Chipezeze.
Gavin Hunt’s charges were struggling to get into their rhythm going forward, despite shading the possession statistics.
Tebogo Sodi almost made it 2-0 for Wedson Nyirenda’s troops in the 27th minute after finding space inside the box to unleash a low effort but his strike was saved by Keet.
Sodi came close again to doubling the lead for the hosts ten minutes before the break with a looping strike at the near post but Keet pulled off an acrobatic save to keep Wits in the game.
That proved to be the final chance of the half at either end, as the hosts went into the break with a slender lead.
Haashim Domingo had a chance to level matters for the Clever Boys five minutes after the break with a free-kick from just outside the box but his curling strike sailed slightly wide.
Gift Motupa should have equalised for Wits three minutes later after he was picked out the six-yard box following a cross, but his first time shot somehow sailed over the bar.
Hunt’s men were a different side in the the second stanza and after the hour-mark they were still pressurising Bakgaga in search of the equaliser.
The hosts were threatening on counter-attacks and Mduduzi Mdantsane missed a sitter for Bakgaga in the last quarter of an hour, guiding his shot horribly wide with the net gaping.
Minutes later, Lehlohonolo Nonyane had a glorious chance to bring Wits with a chance at the back post but he hooked his effort over the bar.
Mdantsane almost made it 2-0 deep in stoppage time for Bakgaga after going through inside the box but his strike came off the bottom of the post as the hosts held on for the win to advance to the final.
Here's how they lined up:
Baroka: Baroka: 1. Chipezeze, 36. Semenya, 3. Gebhardt, 5, Makume, 8. Mdantsane, 13. Mabeba, 14. Mosele, 25. Sodi, 28. Dickens (Chivaviro 65'), 7. Chawapiwa 33. Sibiya.
Subs: 30. Dlamini, 2. Kgoetyane, 4. Madubanya, 9. Chivaviro, 11. Matloga, 20. Patjie, 55. Nkausu.
Wits: Wits: 16. Keet, 2. Mere, 3. Hlatshwayo, 15. Mkhwanazi, 4. Nonyane, 8. Monare (Hlanti 71'), 17. Alexander, 21. Domingo, 11. Hotto (Motupa 46'), 37. Dzvukamanja, 28. Macuphu (Murray 65').
Subs: 1. Mhlongo, 27. Ritchie, 13. Hlanti, 7. Pelembe, 24. Motupa, 9. Murray.
