Thami Nqolobe

Thami Nqolobe

It was a bleak weekend for Western Cape soccer followers after Santos and Ikapa Sporting were booted out of the Nedbank Cup last 16.

First to kiss the dust were Santos, who lost 2-1 to Maritzburg United at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Friday after leading 1-0 at interval.

Santos were awarded a penalty in the 18th minute after Maritzburg's defender, Gary Goldstone, pushed Santos' Erwin Isaacs inside the box.

Tyren Arendse scored from the spot. But Arendes did not finish the game after being shown the red card for a second bookable offence in the 80th minute.

However, United fought back in the second half and were rewarded in the 61st minute when Sphiwe Mkhonza's shot levelled matters.

The game went into extra-time after the full-time score was 1-1. Maritzburg clinched the winning goal in the 116th minute through striker Fadluraghman Davids' header from a throw-in by Mkhonza (2-1).

"We lost the game that I thought we should have won, but my guys were not in the game and gave Maritzburg enough room in the middle of the park and they used their chances well, hence they won the game," lamented Santos coach David Bright.

An upbeat Gordon Igesund, United's mentor, believes their victory over Santos was a morale booster as they will fight hard to move away from the relegation zone.

At Erica Park Stadium in Belhar, Ikapa Sporting were outclassed by Winners Park who beat them 2-1 and a stunned coach of the Sporting, Sergio Dos Santos, left the field not believing that his lads were out of the Nedbank Cup.

The visitors led 1-0 in the 31st minute through a penalty by Premerus Phadu and Desmond Chauke increased the tally to 2-0 in the 70th minute.

Dos Santos' team reduced the deficit to 2-1 after referee Zolile Mthetho saw the visitors' Thabiso Ntloana handle the ball inside the box in the 79th minute.

l Bay United, currently threatened by relegation from the Premiership, were knocked out of the cup 5-4 in a sudden-death penalty shootout by Limpopo's Black Leopards on Saturday.