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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE country’s soccer giants Highlanders, Caps United and Dynamos kept their hopes of ending the season with a trophy after progressing to the Chibuku Super Cup quarter-finals.
The three will be hoping to avoid each other in the quarter-finals to be played on October 6 and 7.
With league championship chasing teams FC Platinum and Ngezi Platinum Stars getting knocked out in the first round, the remaining teams in the competition, Harare City, Herentals, Nichrut, Triangle United and Chapungu, are all capable of upsetting the giants.
Defending Chibuku Super Cup champions Harare City began their quest to retain the trophy with a 1-0 win over First Division bound Bulawayo City.
Triangle needed a penalty shootout, which they won 4-1 against Shabanie Mine to secure passage into the quarter-finals. The two teams had deadlocked 0-0 in regulation time.
Highlanders survived a possible first round exit by coming from behind to beat Yadah 2-1 in a match the visitors had themselves to blame for resorting to time wasting tactics instead of going for the sucker punch.
Dynamos eased 1-0 past Bulawayo Chiefs, while Caps United booked a quarter-final ticket following a 5-4 penalty shootout win over ZPC Kariba.
Pre-tournament favourites FC Platinum and Ngezi Platinum Stars were booted out of the competition, with the former losing 5-4 on penalties to Chapungu after their game had ended 2-2.
Ngezi Platinum Stars were shocked by Herentals, who forced the game into penalties after holding the championship contenders 1-1. Herentals then beat Ngezi Platinum Stars 4-3 on penalties.
Nichrut claimed the scalp of Black Rhinos 2-1 at the National Sports Stadium. – @ZililoR
derick.khumalo