FC St Eloi Lupopo, also from the DRC, were the first club to take the Kudu Horn out of SA two years ago. Then Lupopo came as an unknown quantity and promised to surprise their opposition. AS Vita also came to the SA shores as a relatively unknown quantity and made their intentions clear from the semifinals when they edged Orlando Pirates out in a tense penalty shoot-out.

On this day visitors displayed great fighting spirit and showed very little respect to their hosts. AS Vita came close to loosing the Horn after a second half goal by David Mathebula had given Amakhosi the lead 19 minutes before the end of regulation time. However, the tough-tackling Congolese never gave up fighting until they snatched the equaliser on 90 minutes.

Chiefs captain Patrick Mabedi stepped up to take the first penalty and, after his first attempt was saved, the referee ordered a retake - after the ASV keeper had moved off his line - but even on his second attempt Mabedi could not find the back of the net. Instead his effort went well wide. Defender Fabian McCarthy, Nhlanhla Kubeka and Thabo Mooki converted theirs while Cyril Nzama blasted his against the crossbar.

AS Vita made sure of victory as they converted four through Kisombe, Eale, Nsumbu and Milambo while Ngumbi had his saved.

Second half substitute Mathebula came off the bench to breath some life into a game that threatened to be heading to a disappointing conclusion. The match had lacked spark and excitement and it was difficult to tell where the goals would come from.

Mathebula had just come on for Derrick Spencer on 73 and after Chiefs had won a free-kick on the far right, Thabo Mooki delivered a great ball into the box and the former Dynamos player made no mistake with a flying header.

However, the Amakhosi celebrations were cut short by second half substitute Sangula Ngumbu with a diving header that gave keeper Rowen Fernandez very little chance.

Team manager Bobby Motaung had described it as the ‘toughest final ever’ and also talked about giving value to the supporters in the build-up to the final. Indeed the match appeared tough and at some point looked headed for the dreaded penalty shoot-out. One message the players appeared to have missed was that of giving value to the supporters.

The final almost resembled the semifinal between Chiefs and TP Mazembe the previous week. There was very little to enthuse about on this chilly Saturday afternoon until the Mathebula goal.

The replacement of young midfielder Junior Khanye in favour of the experienced veteran Thabo Mooki on 64 minutes did not go down well with most of the supporters but the Amakhosi technical bench was perhaps looking to provide answers to the DRC midfielder who had a slight edge over the home side.

Diasivi Makengele wasted a clear scoring opportunity following a good build-up from the DRC visitors when he blasted the ball well above goal on the hour mark. AS Vita coach Bibey Mutombo then pulled out Guylain Kalobo who was clearly a thorn on the Chiefs sight. Baku Mayanga took his place.

There was a promising move with Spencer playing the ball across the middle channel on 54 minutes but second half replacement Mbambo had not anticipated it.

Lelo sailed past McCarthy coming from the right and delivered a dangerous ball into the box but Kaluyitika could not direct his header just on the stroke of halftime.

Khanye crossed earlier in the first half but Moshoeu could not connect after the keeper had failed to make contact with the ball in an attempted clearance.

AS Vita walked home with a cool R1 million while Chiefs got R500 000 for coming second. Pirates, who beat TP Mazembe 2-1 in the third place play-off got R300 000 and Mazembe R200 000.

Teams:

Kaizer Chiefs: 1-Rowen Fernandez, 8-Tinashe Nengomasha, 13-Junior Khanye (Mooki 64), 28-Derrick Spencer (Mathebula 73), 91-John Moshoeu (Sibeko 84), 4-Cyril Nzama, 6-Fabian McCarthy, 5-Patrick Mabedi, 19-Nhlanhla Kubeka, 33-Kabamba Musasa (Mbambo 46), 21-Patrick Mayo (Motaung Jnr 64).

AS Vita: 1-Lukoki Kalemba, 15-Dituabanza Nsumbu, 12-Mutamba Tshimanga, 10-Babi Mufuku, 8-Guylain Kalobo (Mayanga 62), 20-Lenkebe Yeye, 2-Mundaba Kisombe (capt), 25-Dioko Kaluyituka (Eale 73), 6-Mutamba Milambo, 19-Iliso Ilonga, 5-Diasivi Makengele.

Penalties:

Chiefs: Mabedi (missed), McCarthy, Kubeka, Mooki, Nzama (missed)

AS Vita: Kisombe, Eale, Nsumbu, Ngumbi (saved), Milambo.