Polokwane City produced the surprise of the round after they thrashed SuperSport United 4-1 at the TUT Stadium in the Carling Knockout round of 16 on Sunday evening.
First-half goals from Oswin Appollis and Ndamulelo Maphangule put Lehlohonolo Seema's side in a commanding position at the break before a brace from Hlayisi Chauke wrapped up the win, although they weren't able to keep a clean sheet after Terrence Dzvukamanja pulled one back for Matsatsantsa at the death.
Rise And Shine join TS Galaxy, Orlando Pirates, Golden Arrows, Stellenbosch, AmaZulu, Sekhukhune United and Richards Bay in the quarterfinals, with Gavin Hunt's team now turning their attention back to the CAF Confederation Cup.
The quarter-finals are confirmed ✅
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) October 22, 2023
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Polokwane rode their luck in the early stages as Etiosa Ighodaro steered the ball inches past the right post from Lyle Lakay's cross in the 13th minute before Bradley Grobler struck the frame of the goal with an effort from the left side of the box on 20 minutes.
However, the opener came at the other end moments later from the visitors' first real attack of the game when Ndumiso Mabena found Appollis inside the 18-yard area and the winger tucked his shot into the bottom left corner of the net.
The Tshwane giants looked to respond, with Grobler forcing Manuel Sapunga to turn his strike behind for a corner on the half-hour mark, while Ighodaro also tested the Equatorial Guinea goalkeeper with a header from Lakay's cross in the 40th minute.
CHAUKE PUTS GAME TO BED
But Rise And Shine made them pay for slack defending in the third minute of added time as Maphangule found space in the right-hand side of the box to beat Ricardo Goss from a corner.
The woodwork came to Polokwane's rescue again seven minutes into the second half when Keenan Bezuidenhout saw his long-range shot cannon off the right post and Terrence Dzvukamanja was just a whisker away from reducing the deficit three minutes later with a strike that flew narrowly wide of the left post.
Things then went from bad to worse for SuperSport after they conceded a third goal on 64 minutes.
Appollis turned provider on this occasion as he picked out Chauke inside the six-yard box and the striker tapped home from close range.
Sapunga had to be alert to keep out Ronald Pfumbidzai's shot at his near post two minutes later before the Limpopo outfit put the cup-tie to bed on 75 minutes as Chauke got his name on the scoresheet again after they hit Matsatsantsa on the counter.
The hosts did manage a consolation goal two minutes from time when Dzvukamanja lashed a shot into the top right corner of the net from range, but Polokwane were deserved winners on the day.
SuperSport United (0) 1 (Dzvukamanja 88')
Polokwane City (2) 4 (Appollis 21', Maphangule 45+3', Chauke 64', 75')
SUPERSPORT UNITED: R. Goss, A. Hamza (O. Bhasera 46'), I. Okon, S. Xulu, G. Lungu (T. Matodzi 75'), P. Nange (G. Moralo 46'), G. Margeman, R. Pfumbidzai, B. Grobler, L. Lakay (K. Bezuidenhout 46'), E. Ighodaro (T. Dzvukamanja 46').
POLOKWANE CITY: M. Sapunga, T. Matuludi, B. Nikani, L. Nkaki, L. Ndlovu, M. Ramabu, G. Mashikinya (M. Kambala 78'), N. Maphangule (L. van Heerden 89'), O. Appollis (S. Goovadia 89'), N. Mabena (N. Raphadu 82'), H. Chauke.