Cape Town Spurs will play in their third consecutive Bayhill Premier Cup final after they beat Mamelodi Sundowns on penalties in the semis, and will now take on surprise package FN Rangers in Monday’s final at Athlone Stadium.
It was an exciting day of knockout football at Erica Park, which saw four quarter-finals played at the same time. In the clashes involving local teams, FN Rangers ran out 2-0 winners over FC Porto, while Cape Town Spurs beat Young Bafana.
Highlands Park won the all-Gauteng affair against AmaTuks, though needed a penalty shootout after a goalless draw. Meanwhile, despite being reduced to ten in the second half, Sundowns beat Cape Town City, also via a shootout, with no goals scored in regulation play.
Spurs were drawn against Sundowns in the semi-finals, and the two early favourites couldn’t be separated in regulation time but Ethan Engel saved two penalties and Spurs booked their place in the final with a 4-2 shootout win.
Spurs won the tournament in 2022 but were losing finalists last year against surprise-winners Grassy Park United. This year Grassy Park lost in the round of 16.
And again this year Spurs will meet a surprise local finalist, as the impressive FN Rangers beat Highlands Park 3-1 in the other semi-final.
Meanwhile Bayhill United will play Shayamoya Academy in the Plate Final, while Young Bafana will meet FC Porto in the Mid-Section final.
QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS
Cape Town City 0-0 (4-5 pens) Mamelodi Sundowns
Cape Town Spurs 1-0 Young Bafana
Highlands Park 0-0 (5-3 pens) AmaTuks
FC Porto 0-2 FN Rangers
SEMI-FINAL RESULTS
Cape Town Spurs 0-0 (4-2 pens) Mamelodi Sundowns
Highlands Park 1-3 FN Rangers
OTHER RESULTS:
Mid Section Semi-Finals
AmaTuks 1-2 Young Bafana
Cape Town City 1-1 (4-3 pens) FC Porto
Plate Quarter-Finals
Ubuntu Academy 4-0 Celtic United
Rebels FC 0-1 Junction Rovers
Bayhill United 1-0 Leeds United
Greenwood Athletic 0-2 Shayamoya Academy
Plate Semi-Finals
Bayhill United 0-0 (5-4 pens) Ubuntu Academy
Shayamoya Academy 3-0 Junction Rovers
