What a battle! What drama as Kaizer Chiefs managed to win the

inaugural MTN 8 cup final beating Mamelodi Sundowns 4-3 on penalties in

a nail biting 0-0 draw after extra time in a pulsating final played at

the Absa Stadium on Tuesday night.

Downs who created far more chances have only themselves to blame and

should have wrapped up this match in 90 minutes. But they failed where

it mattered most – in front of goal.

Downs coach Trott Moloto took a gamble by selecting former Amakhosi

ace Collins Mbesuma in place of injured Sibusiso Zuma. Although the

Zambian star showed he will be an asset in the months to come he was

far from the form that made him the lethal striker that netted 35 goals

in helping Chiefs win the PSL championship in 2005.

Sundowns had the better of an entertaining first half in which they

had the Chiefs defence in a lot of trouble but failed to capatalise on

the chances they created.

Amakhosi lacking the depth of Downs also created chances but they

wasted too many passes in the final third. The Amakhosi midfield failed

to link up with their strikers Jose Torrealba and Gert Schalkwyk.

The Brazilians most glaring miss in the opening half came in the

24nd minute when Josta Dladla wasted a sitter and showed his lack of

confidence in front of goal by opting to pass when he was in a good

position to shoot and try and break the deadlock. Dladla latched on to a killer ball from Lerato Chabangu on the right

wing, cut inside but instead of trying to beat the advancing Itumeleng

Khune in Chiefs goal he opted to pass to Mbesuma but the pass was a

poor one and the

Zambian international failed to get a touch and the ball rolled over

the goalline to safety.

The match was highly charged as expected and the near capacity 48

000 were made up in the majority of Amakhosi fans but it was the

Brazilians who had most of the say on the field.

Downs former Chiefs defender Derrick Spencer thudded a header off

the Amakhosi crossbar in the 11th minute as Downs made their attacking

intentions clear.

Then it was Chiefs turn to squander a golden chance when Thuso Phala

failed to connect a Jimmy Tau cross when he had an open goal at his

mercy on 14 minutes.

Dladla who seemed to struggle with the tense atmosphere and pressure

again failed to find the target when he tried to trap a clever pass

from Mbesuma along the goalline instead of attacking the pass. And

another chance went a begging.

Schalkwyk headed wide when he had the Downs goal at his mercy after

connecting a pin point cross from Reneilwe Letsholonyane two minutes

from the break.

Khune did well to save a stinging shot from Mbesuma a minute into

the second half and a minute later Dladla shot wide.

Chiefs started pushing Downs into their own half but Sundowns

talented midfielder Surprise Moriri could have broken the deadlock in

the 63rd minute but he took too long in lining up his shot and allowed

the grateful Chiefs

defenders time to block his shot.

Khune, the Bafana Bafana number one keeper showed his class when he

punched away a tremendous shot from Chabangu in the 66th minute as

Downs threatened to overrun the overworked Chiefs defence.

Benedict Vilakazi replaced the tiring Mbesuma with 13 minutes of

regulation time left. But the powerfully build Zambian star showed that

he will be a big asset to Downs in the coming months.

Then it was Downs keeper Brian Baloyi's turn to show his skill when

he did well to pluck Torrealba's shot out the air in the 80th minute.

Moriri wasted the best chance of the night when he miskicked when it

looked easier to score than miss into an empty net after a great cross

from Dladla that set him up but Moriri somehow fluffed the shot and

Chiefs survived and took the game into extra time.

Moriri headed over the cross bar in the 96th minute while teammate

Chabangu missed another chance when he ballooned two shots over the

crossbar at the end of the first half of extra time.

Vilakazi was unlucky when he shaved the upright with a thunderous

shot in the 105th minute.

Khune again came to the rescue with another fine save this time in

the 111thminute from substitute Dario Monteirio. With two minutes

remaining Baloyi made the save of the match tipping substitute Mokete

Tsotsetsi's shot for a corner then in the last minute another Amakhosi

substitute Mandla Masango missed an open goal.

With Downs failing to make use of their chances, Chiefs were happy

to settle the final and R8 million on penalties.