Polokwane City beats Cape Town City to advance to semi-finals of MTN8

Polokwane City Football Club caused a major upset in football circles when they beat the inform Cape Town City Football Club 2-0 in the quarter-finals of the MTN 8 competition to advance to the semi-finals to be played at Athlone Stadium on Saturday.
Cape Town City, who has never lost in the quarter finals of the competition, came in to the match as reigning champions.
City’s goals were scored by strikers Mohammed Anas in the first half and Charlton Mashumba in the second half.
Their opponents in the semi-final set for 31 August at Peter Mokaba Stadium will be Highlands Park Football Club.
City’s chief operations officer, Tincy Tema believes the team has the ability to progress even further in the competition. “We are in the Premier Soccer League to compete. We have never won any cup competition since being promoted to the elite league in 2013. The cup is reachable and I think this is an opportunity for us. The team is on form now and we believe we can go to the finals. We want to win it for the people of the province who are always there at our matches. The players want to create their own history and I think nothing will stop them,” Tema said.
He said their semi-final fixture against Highlands Park will be tough considering what is at stake at the competition.
This competition is one of the longest-standing knockout cup competitions in South Africa, first being contested in 1972 and the winner receives R8 million. “We have a good record against them. We beat them on their home turf during a league match last season and we want to maintain that record against them,” Tema concluded.
He also said that their team captain, Jabu Maluleke will be available for selection for the Highlands Park match.
Maluleke has been out of action for three weeks as result of a calf injury sustained against Amazulu Football Club in their second match of the league.

Story and photo: Herbert Rachuene
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