Samir Nurkovic scored a late equaliser as Kaizer Chiefs came from behind to claim a 4-2 victory on post-match penalties against Cape Town City after the teams had played to a thrilling 1-1 draw in the Telkom Knockout Last 16 in front of almost 35,000 fans at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

The victory keeps alive Chiefs’ hopes of winning a first piece of silverware in more than four and a half years as they held their nerve in the shoot-out after misses by City duo Ebrahim Seedat and Taariq Fielies in the shoot-out.

Kermit Erasmus produced a characteristic moment of magic to give City the advantage in the first half, but the home side’s inability to hold onto leads this season again cost them as substitute Samir Nurkovic equalised with six minutes remaining.

There was a missed penalty, 12 cautions and two early injury substitutions, but all of that was overshadowed by a shove on the referee that might yet have belated consequences. 

City’s experienced midfielder Mpho Makola, a former Orlando Pirates player, should have got his marching orders just after the half-hour mark for a clear shove on referee Abongile Tom.

Makola was protesting the award of a penalty after Fielies handled the ball as he blocked an effort from Khama Billiat.

It was a clear a spot-kick as Fielies’ hand was raised but Makola rushed the referee and clearly shoved him in the chest in a moment of madness that the Premier Soccer League are surely going to have to deal with.

Makola only got a yellow when he should have been ordered off and City’s good fortune continued as Daniel Cardoso ballooned his penalty high and wide of the target.

And four minutes later the home side were ahead as an off-balance Erasmus hardly had a back-lift as he thumped in a thunderous 25-yard shot that caught Daniel Akpeyi floundering.

Chiefs lost Kearyn Baccus and Bernard Parker to first half injuries, and in the second period substitute George Maluleka missed a glorious chance to equalise before Akpeyi had to make a double-save to deny Erasmus a second goal, and then Nodada at point-blank range.

Makola shaved the Chiefs woodwork in the 68th minute and the visitors grabbed the equaliser late on as Nurkovic’s volley at the back post had the beating Peter Leeuwenburgh in the home goal to send the game to extra-time, where fatigue slowed the pace to a crawl at times as Chiefs triumphed in the shoot-out to advance to the quarterfinals.