Pretoria University's Nedbank Cup fairy tale and giant killing act continued at Milpark on Sunday when they became the secondFirst Division side in consecutive seasons to reach the final after beating PSL outfit Ajax Cape Town 2-1 after extra time in a nail biting semifinal.

Mpumalanga Black Aces were runners up to favourites Mamelodi Sundowns in the 2008 cup final, losing 1-0 to their PSL big brothers. Tuks will play PSL side Moroka Swallows in the cup final on May 23 at a venue to be decided.

The 'Students' should have wrapped up this semifinal in the first half but missed countless chances against an out of sorts 'Urban Warriors' who never looked like beating their more organised lower league opponents.

Ajax are the third PSL side that Tuks have beaten on the way to the final. They defeated Kaizer Chiefs and Bloemfontein Celtic in the previous rounds.

Tukkies were the dominant side in a busy opening 45 minutes. They created all the goal scoring chances but good goalkeeping from 'Urban Warriors' Andre Petim and poor finishing allowed the teams to change over 0-0 at half-time.

Tuks keeper Siya Mngoma did not have to make a single save during the opening half.

A feature of Tuks play in the first 45 minutes was their superb tacking and commitment that helped unsettle their PSL opponents. Tuks defence gave nothing away.

The best tackle was from no nonsense defender Warren Bishop who did brilliantly to take the ball off the PSL's top goal-scorer Mabhuti Khenyeza and deny the Ajax striker a close range shot on goal in the eighth minute.

But Tuks and the First Division's top goal-scorer Thabo Moleko wasted a couple of golden scoring chances that had his coach Steve Barker tearing his hair out.

Moleko's shot in a goal mouth melee in the 19th minute was somehow blocked and from the rebound teammate Mthokozisi Yende's shot screamed wide of the woodwork.

Petim did well in the 21st minute to deny Moleko a goal with a good save. Then 'Tuks' could not believe their luck when Phenyo Mongala's goal bound rocket was deflected for a corner.

But the miss of the half went to Moleko in the 39th minute. He was set through by a clever ball from Richard Ferreira and with only Petim blocking his path, the Ajax number one did well to get a foot out and boot the ball away for a throw-in. It was a great chance squandered and Barker had every right to throw up his hands in despair.

Then in injury time Mongala headed fractionally over the crossbar as the First Division side mounted another attack against a couple of lacklustre counter attacks from Ajax.

The pace slackened in the second half with neither side prepared to go for broke. Ajax came more into the game as Tuks failed to match their first half all out effort.

The first real chance of the second period fell to Ajax striker Sifiso Vilakazi in the 68th minute. His effort from the edge of the penalty area went centimetres wide of the woodwork.

'Tuks' substitute Thokozani Sekotlong was wide with a decent shot in the 71st minute. Mngoma did well to fist away a dangerous left wing cross from Franklyn Cale after a blunder from Tuks right back Goodman Sauhatsi in the 81st minute.

But the miss of the second half fell to 'Tukkies' substitute Manti Moholo who ballooned his shot well over the crossbar when he should have at least hit the target.

That miss signalled extra time.

'Tuks' opened the scoring when Yende, out of nothing, chipped the ball over Petim to make it 1-0 in the 97th minute. But Tuks' joy was short lived when Nhlanhla Kubeka equalised four minutes later from a goal mouth scramble after a Cale corner.

The winner came from Moholo who made up for his earlier miss and beat Petim with a shot to the far corner in the 110th minute. Sekotlong squandered two late chances to increase Tukkies lead but 2-1 is as good as 10-1 and 'Tuks' celebrated reaching their first ever cup final appearance.

Sapa

RSS
Digg
de.li.cious
facebook