Mamelodi Sundowns had to dig deep to claim a 1-0 victory over a stubborn Sekhukhune United side in their Nedbank Cup quarterfinal match played at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Friday evening.
Jayden Adams sends Sundowns into the #NedbankCup final four 🤩🟡#SSDiski pic.twitter.com/TBJYmVg3Ui
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) March 28, 2025
Therefore, Masandawana progressed to the semifinals where they will square off with Kaizer Chiefs.
Sundowns 🆚 Chiefs
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) March 28, 2025
Pirates 🆚 Gallants
The #NedbankCup final four has been decided 🤝#SSDiski pic.twitter.com/EqHpLuJOBK
Coach Miguel Cardoso and his charges will now turn their attention to Tuesday's CAF Champions League clash against Esperance de Tunis.
Babina Noko, on the other hand, bowed out of the cup competition and they will now focus solely on the Betway Premiership.
Coach Eric Tinkler's side will be back in action on 6 April when they take on Cape Town City away from home.
Even though Masandawana dominated possession from the start, with Babina Noko ready to bounce back on the counter-attack, both teams struggled to create clear-cut chances in the opening exchanges of the encounter.
Ronwen Williams was called into action in the 37th minute and the Sundowns goalkeeper denied Keletso Makgalwa.
At the other end, Grant Kekana's header was saved by keeper Renaldo Leaner on the stroke of halftime and the score was 0-0 at the interval.
Masandawana continued to control the match after the restart, but Babina Noko remained solid and compact at the back.
Coach Miguel Cardoso decided to introduce the feared duo of Lucas Ribeiro Costa and Peter Shalulile in the 68th minute.
Leaner then became a busy man as the 27-year-old denied Ribeiro in the 78th minute, before saving Kekana's header in the 87th minute.
Leaner saved another Ribeiro attempt in stoppage time and the match went into extra-time after a 0-0 draw in regulation time.
With extra-time destined to end in a 0-0 draw, up stepped in-form Bafana Bafana star Jayden Adams, who netted his third goal in as many matches for club and country in the 119th minute to hand Sundowns a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Sekhukhune.
✅ Goal for country 🇿🇦
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) March 28, 2025
✅ Goal for club 🟡
It's Jayden Adams season in Mzansi 😏⚡
📺 Stream #NedbankCup on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQWD1K pic.twitter.com/oCDyZgWrAP
Sundowns 1 (Adams 119')
Sekhukhune 0
Sundowns: Williams, Kekana, Mashego (Tiwani 91'), Mdunyelwa (Morena 77'), Suarez, Cupido (Adams 81'), Allende, Maema (Mokoena 67'), Esquivel (Shalulile 68'), Sales, Rayners (Ribeiro 68').
Sekhukhune: Leaner, Mogaila (Kapinga 91'), Rammala (Letlapa 82'), Langa, Tshibwabwa, Cardoso, Mkhize, Monare, Mncube (Mtshali 62'), Makgalwa (Shezi 90'+6), Ohizu (Boyeli 82').