Cape Town – SuperSport United and Kaizer Chiefs played out to a spectacular 2-2 draw in the first leg of their MTN8 semi-final at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The home side settled the quicker of the two teams but Kaizer Chiefs would take the lead against the run of play in the 20th minute.
Khama Billiat started and finished a swift counter attack when he held the ball up in the middle of the park before releasing Dumisani Zuma who found the former Mamelodi Sundowns forward with a pinpoint ball across the face of goal which only required a tap in at the far post.
United were level just four minutes after Chiefs took the lead. Fagrie Lakays brilliant cross from the right was taken down by Bradley Grobler and the striker finished emphatically across the face of goal. The ball came back off the left post before it beat Amakhosi keeper Itumeleng Khune.
Matsatsantsa and Grobler would turn the game on its head in the 38th minute. Right back Phumlani Ntshangase's long throws were causing problems in the Chiefs defence and when Grobler seized the ball on the penalty spot, after some grappling with Ramahlwe Mphahlele, the striker volleyed the ball into the top-right corner to complete his brace.
Giovanni Solinas' men equalised in the first minute after the restart. Billiat's reverse ball sent Leonardo Castro through on goal and the striker calmly chipped over Ronwen Williams with his weaker left foot.
The pair combined just five minutes later, and if Billiat got more than a toe poke on his effort he could have given his team the lead again in the match. Castro found the forward with a sublime outside of the foot pass from the left wing that caught out defender Clayton Daniels, who fluffed his lines but the ball had too much power on it for Billiat to make proper contact for a shot on goal.
The away side tried to force the issue in the final moments but Kaitano Tembos side held firm. The second leg takes place on the 1st of September.
