Durban City’s debut in the Carling Knockout ended in a 4-1 win over Polokwane City, defender Fezile Gcaba grabbing the headlines with a superb hat-trick on a thrilling occasion at the Chatsworth Stadium.
The match also marked the first edition of ‘Friday Night Lights’ for the Citizens, and the players made sure it was a highly memorable evening – the passionate fans treated to 120 minutes after the contest had gone to extra time.
The home side were fired from the start, working hard all over the pitch to close down their opponents and win the ball. And there was an early sign of Durban City’s intent after three minutes when a goalmouth scramble ended with a shot being fired over the bar.
That intent was soon translated to a change in the scoreboard at the KwaZulu-Natal side found the back of the net in the 12th minute. Gcaba was the man to break the deadlock, netting with a well-timed header at the back post, following a great free-kick delivery from tricky winger Saziso Magawana.
The Limpopo outfit were close to equalising on the half hour mark, the sizeable home crowd breathing a sigh of collective relief as Mokibelo Ramabu’s low shot from the right flank narrowly flashed wide of the opposite upright.
Meanwhile at the other end, Gcaba looked to repeat his earlier goal with another header from a free kick just before the interval, but this time it went wide.
There was another moment of promise for the home side 10 minutes after the restart when Trevor Mokwena combined nicely with Letsie Koapeng; Mokwena was however blocked before getting a shot away.
At the other end, Darren Keet did well to save a shot from Manuel Kambala which was heading towards the top corner. After soaking up some more Polokwane pressure, the Citizens had the chance to double their advantage in the 75th minute when Maseko located Joslin Kamatuka in the box, but the Namibian striker was unable to find the right connection with his parting shot.
Then in the 84th minute, Gcaba was again close to scoring when he showed some lovely footwork to jink his way into the box before smashing a shot goalward, which drew a fine reflex finger-tip save from Polokwane keeper Brian Bwire. Moments later, Magawana’s quick feet saw him getting deep into the opposition box, but he too was unable to capitalise.
Instead, the Chatsworth-based side were delivered a big sucker-punch when Polokwane were awarded a penalty for a handball, which Lebohang Nkaki dispatched in the 88th minute.
To extra time it went. Not to be kept down by the equaliser, City showed guts and came storming back and scored just two minutes after the restart when Mfanafuthi Mkhize netted with a sensational scissors kick – after Magawana’s free kick had struck the post and Siphamandla Ncanana had hit the crossbar with his initial follow-up.
Six minutes into the second stanza of extra time and City had the two goal cushion they were looking for – as some wonderful interplay involving several players down the right side ended with Katlego Maphathe combining with Gcaba -the former releasing the latter with a sublime reverse ball before the right-back skipped past a defender before firing a sumptuous shot into the very top corner.
And then it got even better for the Durban club – and Gcaba – when he completed a remarkable hat-trick as he rose with conviction to power in a header from an inviting Magawana corner.
