Stellies secure Carling Knockout last 8 ticket
by Kickoff writer · KickOffStellenbosch FC booked their spot in the quarter-finals of the Carling Knockout following a 2-0 victory over Durban City on Wednesday evening.
Carling Knockout
Teams: Durban City v Stellenbosch FC
Result: 0-2
Scorers: Kwayiba (84', 90+4')
The Team of Choice were in high spirits on the back of their CAF Confederation Cup group stage qualification on Sunday, but the Maroons, who won this cup in 2023, were out looking to extend their unbeaten run to five matches across all competitions.
It was not the ideal start for the Team of Choice who were forced into a substitution in the opening-quarter of the first half when Gaston Sirino felt discomfort and couldn’t continue, leaving Samkelo Maseko to replace him.
City were not out of shape despite the alteration and pushed the visitors as Tylo Sanger came short outside the area to get a shot away, but the attempt nestled over target.
Maseko settled nicely as he managed to tuck in the box around the half-hour mark to get on the end of a loose ball to launch a half-volley, but his effort sailed wide of the mark.
Second Half:
Following a tense opening, the Team of Choice were out chasing the breakthrough minutes in when Haashim Domingo found space on the edge of the area and dropped a shoulder to force debutant Nathan Garrow into a diving save.
The Maroons probed immediately in a swift of response and had Quwan Plaatjies latch onto a cross to get a header in from the centre of the area, but he unfortunately snapped his lines.
Eric Tinkler’s men regained momentum a little later and nearly went on the front-foot when a floating a cross by Siphamandla Ncanana found the head of Letsie Koapeng at the back-post, but the striker hit the side-netting.
Stellenbosch remained alive and played a long ball into striker Sinoxolo Kwayiba to hold up and laid it off for substitute Raoul Daniels to run in-behind and create a one-on-one with Frederic Asare, but the shot-stopper repelled.
Kwayiba’s impact proved telling five minutes to end when he made forward run into the area and pounced on a low cross from Lateef Kazeem and fired past Asare for the opening goal.
As the host surged for an instant response and committed numbers, the Maroons made sure of the victory when a switch of play from a corner found Kwayiba clean through on goal and nestled the net for his brace.