Hungry Lions became the first team from the ABC Motsepe playoffs to get promoted to the GladAfrica Championship after they beat Mangaung Unite in a penalty shootout in the first semi-final on Thursday.
It was a competitive match between the two neighbouring provinces, and Hungry Lions took the lead in the 33rd minute, as Kobus Kok headed the Northern Capers in front.
That goal was enough to give Henry Basie’s team a narrow first half lead.
Mangaung came out pushing in the second half, and were finally rewarded in the 64th minute, when they were awarded a penalty for a handball. Vuyisile Wana stepped up and converted to level matters.
But it was short-lived as Lions caught Mangaung immediately and a minute later Ricardo Aron put them back into the lead.
But Mangaung were awarded a second penalty in the 72nd minute, after another handball. Once again Wana stepped up and blasted in to make it 2-2.
And that’s how it stayed until the end of the 90 minutes, with a penalty shootout deciding the winner.
And it was Hungry Lions who came out victorious in the shootout, winning 5-3.
The Northern Cape has never had a team in the top flight since the inception of the PSL 25 years ago, but Basotho Tigers were briefly in the National First Division in the late 90’s and early 2000s.
Glendene United play Platinum City Rovers in the second semifinal this afternoon.
