Raiders FC lift Fibertime Cup after Gavin Mandlati’s heroic penalty save
Raiders FC dramatically won the 2026 Fibertime Cup, defeating Alex Royal Tigers 4-3 on penalties after a tense 1-1 draw at 3 Square Sports Ground.
Raiders FC were crowned 2026 Fibertime Cup champions after goalkeeper Gavin Mandlati made a decisive penalty save to edge out Alex Royal Tigers in a nail-biting final at 3 Square Sports Ground on June 16.
The four-day tournament, which ran from June 13 to 16, delivered intense local derby action as teams from Alexandra battled for top honours.
Raiders booked their place in the final with a hard-fought semifinal win over Mhlaba FC on Monday, while Alex Royal Tigers advanced after overcoming Akeric.
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The final proved a fitting climax. In front of a passionate crowd, the Raiders and Royal Tigers played out a tense 1-1 draw before Raiders claimed the trophy with a 4-3 penalty shootout win.
From the first whistle, Raiders imposed themselves on the contest, pinning Tigers back with sustained pressure. Their persistence paid off in the first half when they broke the deadlock, taking a deserved lead after several threatening attacks tested the Tigers’ defence and goalkeeper.
Tigers struggled to create clear chances in the opening stanza, with most of their play confined to the flanks and easily marshalled by a composed Mandlati. The game shifted noticeably after the interval as Tigers raised the tempo and began asking serious questions of the Raiders’ rearguard.
One surging attack nearly produced an equaliser when a powerful strike rattled the crossbar, leaving spectators gasping. Tigers continued to press, and their efforts were rewarded when Raiders conceded a penalty for a handball in the box. The spot-kick was calmly converted, levelling the score at 1-1 and setting up a grandstand finish.
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Both sides pushed for a winner in the closing stages, but neither could find a decisive breakthrough, forcing the match into a penalty shootout.
With nerves jangling on both sides, missed opportunities and fine saves kept the tension sky-high until Mandlati produced the decisive save, diving to keep out a crucial kick and spark jubilant celebrations among the Raiders faithful.
The victory caps a strong showing by Raiders FC throughout the tournament and hands them the 2026 Fibertime Cup title.
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