Sekhukhune United have joined Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 semifinal draw after they defeated AmaZulu 4-3 after extra time at the Chatsworth Stadium in Durban on Sunday afternoon.
Babina Noko secured victory in this thrilling quarterfinal tie thanks to a 97th-minute winner from substitute Vuyo Letlapa, putting them into the final four of the MTN8 for the second successive season.
Usuthu fought back from 1-3 down to take the game to a full 120 minutes, but will reflect on lapses at either end of the field that cost them dearly.
A thriller in KwaZulu ends with Sekhukhune advancing to the semi-finals of the #MTN8 #SSDiski pic.twitter.com/aOig6zG6PO
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) August 9, 2026
AmaZulu created the first clear chance 12 minutes into the game, with Nkosikhona Radebe whipping in a cross from the right to find Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya, but the Zimbabwean forward put his close-range effort over the target.
However, Ngwenya redeemed himself just two minutes later, with the ball falling kindly for him in the penalty area before he struck a volley through the legs of Sekhukhune goalkeeper Melusi Buthelezi to make it 1-0 to the hosts.
Sekhukhune gradually worked their way back into the game and levelled the score at 1-1 in the 44th minute, with Tshepo Mokoane netting with a long-range drive that took a deflection off Taariq Fielies and wrong-footed goalkeeper Wilfred Kouassi.
Babina Noko made an attacking change at the start of the second half, swapping out Thabang Mahlangu for Bright Ndlovu, and their intent was rewarded with a second goal seven minutes after the restart.
A corner kick was poorly defended by AmaZulu, who allowed the ball to travel all the way through their six-yard area before being turned home at the back post by Givemore Khupe for a 2-1 lead to the visitors.
And Sekhukhune quickly made it 3-1, with Mpho Rammala picking up a flick-on from a throw-in, driving inside from the right, and then thumping home a left-footed drive from the edge of the penalty area in the 54th minute.
Usuthu appeared to be in disarray, but struck back in the 56th minute to make it 2-3, with Ngwenya scoring with a diving header that beat Buthelezi at his near post. The assist was a cross from Mondli Mbanjwa on the right flank.
And the goals kept flowing, with Fielies levelling the game at 3-3 in the 58th minute. The AmaZulu centre-back swatted home a left-footed shot from a tight angle via the legs of the goalkeeper.
⚽️ 53’ AmaZulu 1-2 Sekhukhune
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) August 9, 2026
⚽️ 54’ AmaZulu 1-3 Sekhukhune
⚽️ 56’ AmaZulu 2-3 Sekhukhune
⚽️ 58’ AmaZulu 3-3 Sekhukhune
POUND-FOR-POUND 💪
📺 Stream #MTN8 live: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc | #SSDiski pic.twitter.com/ZVyWH03ZsC
AmaZulu dominated the remainder of regulation time, creating several good chances to reclaim the lead, but ultimately the match headed to an extra half hour to try and separate the teams.
Sekhukhune had been under the cosh, but in extra time they broke the deadlock in the 97th minute via a beautiful finish from substitute Vuyo Letlapa, who latched onto a loose ball on the left of the penalty area and fired home a volley via in the inside of the far post for a 4-3 lead.
The hosts sought a way back into the game and came closest to another equaliser in the 118th minute when Keegan Allan’s goal-bound header was scooped over his own crossbar by defender Shaheed Kazeem.
The teams will next be in Betway Premiership action on Wednesday 12 August, with AmaZulu hosting Orlando Pirates, and Sekhukhune visiting Kaizer Chiefs.
AmaZulu FC (1) (3) 3 (Ngwenya 14’ 56’, Fielies 58’)Sekhukhune United (1) (3) 4 (Mokoane 44’, Khupe 52’, Rammala 54’, Letlapa 97’)
AmaZulu: Kouassi, Allan, Fielies, Hanamub, Radebe, Zikhali, Moralo (Mokoena 61’), Mdaka (Mashigo 106’), Mbanjwa (Hlangabeza 61’), Maqokola, Ngwenya (Lekoloane 81’)
Sekhukhune: Buthelezi, Mobbie (Cardoso 73’), Matsimbi, Kazeem, Mashiloane, Mkhize (tiaka 91’), Khupe, Mokoane (Ramabu 73’), Rammala (Vandala 72’), Mojela (Letlapa 64’), Mahlangu (Ndlovu 46’)