adminKapini plays for AmaZulu while Billiat dons the Ajax Cape Town jersey.
However, it was to be two sets of different tears for the Zimbabwean duo, Kapini shedding for joy while Billiat, despite beating the former Highlanders charismatic skipper twice, ended in agony.
Billiat scored a brace, in the 62nd and 81st minutes, in a 3-3 draw while Kapini made two dramatic saves in regulation time before making a crucial fourth penalty save during the dreaded shootout for a 4-3 win for Usuthu.
The two sides were deadlocked at 3-3 after regulation time, with Ajax scoring through Thembinkosi Fanteni and a brace from Billiat, while Usuthu fought back through Thamsanqa Teyise and a double from Goodman Dlamini.
Roger Palmgren’s men then managed to hold their nerves during the penalty shootout while Keamogetse Wolff and George Akpabio failed to convert for the Urban Warriors.
Kapini made two great saves early in the first half, parrying away a great freekick from Billiat in the seventh minute and another shot from Fanteni in the 14th.
Usuthu also created their chances with Andile Khumalo’s shot being cleared off the line by a defender in the 15th minute, while Thamsanqa Sangweni forced a save from Sean
Roberts with a well-struck freekick four minutes later.
The home side continued to dominate possession in the middle of the park, but it was the visitors who broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute. Fanteni shrugged off his marker before drilling a low shot past Kapini.
AmaZulu had a chance to level matters on the stroke of halftime via a swerving freekick from Bongani Mbele, but his effort went just wide off the target.
Both sides then squandered their early chances in the second half before the Urban Warriors extended their advantage in the 62nd minute when Fanteni played Billiat through, and the Zimbabwean didn’t disappoint as he calmly placed the ball beyond Kapini’s reach.
Despite being two goals down, Usuthu continued to play positively and managed to reduce the deficit eight minutes later when Teyise headed home from a Goodman Dlamini corner.
The home side levelled matters in the 79th minute when Dlamini latched onto a great pass from Kagiso Senamela before firing a low shot on target. Roberts managed to get a hand to it but there was nothing he could do as Dlamini fired home from the rebound.
However, Ajax took advantage of their opponents’ excitement and quickly restored their lead two minutes later when Billiat broke the offside trap before getting the slightest of touches to get the ball past Kapini.
But there were still more twists to the tale as AmaZulu found an equalizer in added time when Dlamini fired a powerful shot from the edge of the box to grab his second goal of the match.
Both sides were unable to add to their tally in extra-time and in the end the tie had to be decided on penalties when Kapini came through for his side once again as he saved the fourth penalty from Wolff.
Akpabio had a chance to convert the fifth penalty to keep Ajax in the game but sent his effort wide to send Usuthu to the last 16. — Sports Reporter/ Kickoff.com.
Online Reporter