Highlands Park and Made2Fly went head-to-head in an intense Ekurhuleni Nedbank Cup qualifier, which ended in a 3-2 victory for Highlands Park.

The match ended in a 2-2 draw in regulation time, forcing the teams into extra time. Highlands Park scored the decisive goal in the first half of extra time, while the second half produced no further goals.

The victory sees Highlands Park advance to the inter-regional playoffs, where they will represent Ekurhuleni.

Eric Phasha opened the scoring in the first half, setting the tone for an exciting encounter. Made2Fly responded through Owen Mashaba, who netted the equaliser to make it 1-1.

Highlands Park regained the lead when Bayabonga Mbele converted a free kick to make it 2-1. However, Mashaba completed his brace before the final whistle in regulation time, levelling the score at 2-2 and forcing the match into extra time.

Katleho Dlamini struck in the first half of extra time to score the decisive goal, securing a 3-2 victory for Highlands Park and booking their place in the playoffs.

Reflecting on the game, Highlands Park coach Victor Tshabalala said the opposition had been better and wanted the victory more.

“It wasn’t one of our best games but at the end of the day champions win games and we did. It wasn’t an easy game because everybody wants to qualify for the last 32 but either way, I witnessed good players in the opposition as well as in my team and the spectators have seen the best of our league,” he said.

He added that the road to the qualifiers had not been easy.

“It hasn’t been an easy journey. I even told the boys that this game is a motivation on its own and that they should use the platform to showcase their talents,” Tshabalala said.

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Made2Fly marketing director Jarrel Mathebula commended the players for their performance.

“What we need to understand in football is that some games don’t go how you plan but all you can do is recalibrate and focus on improving for the future,” he said.

He also spoke about the importance of leadership on the pitch, stressing the need for sportsmanship. Mathebula praised the team’s goalkeeper, Bandile Jiyane.

“He did amazing work, you can see the fighting spirit and hard work. He’s made sure the team survives and his leadership is impeccable,” he said.

He congratulated the team on its dedication and teamwork.