TS Galaxy Eliminate Sundowns in Carling Knockout as Fiacre Ntwari Saves Two Penalties in Shootout

• Fiacre Ntwari made his debut for TS Galaxy during their Carling Knockout Cup opener
• Mamelodi Sundowns were without several key players who were on international duty
• TS Galaxy took a two-goal early lead but Sundowns clawed their way back into the tie

A quest for riches and glory could not have begun more dramatically.

Mamelodi Sundowns and TS Galaxy got the Carling Knockout Cup off to an electric start at the Mbombela Stadium in Mbombela, Mpumalanga.

Sundowns were seconds away from exiting the competition in the first round during regular time and Galaxy will have nightmares of that equaliser.

The best thing a cup game can get is an early goal and the Rockets delivered. Sloppy play at the back was capitalised on by the Galaxy midfielders, who found Higor Vidal driving into the box.

The Brazilian squared it to Macbeth Malhlangu and in trying to clear, Sundowns defenders tripped over each other and bundled the ball into their own net.

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Fans were still wondering who had guessed the Fak 'iGoal Uzobona time right to win R87 000 when the Kameelrivier side made it two.

Sundowns were in unfamiliar territory and while they increased the tempo to try to get back into the game, Galaxy held firm to take their two-goal lead into the tunnel.

The Mpumalanga outfit were determined not to fall to the worst cliche in football as they came out in the second half looking to defend.

Sundowns captain for the evening, Marcelo Allende took 10 minutes to prove this strategy wrong, driving a long-range effort past Fiacre Ntwari in the 55th minute.

The game had been physical, with Sundowns having picked up five yellow cards by the 50-minute mark.

The match was then marred by a horrific injury to veteran, Bernard Parker, whose career may be in jeopardy after a late Bongani Zungu challenge.

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The Sundowns man protested his straight red card and fortunately, Parker gave the crowd a thumbs up as he was stretchered down the tunnel.

Sundowns pressed but with the one-man deficit, they had trouble breaking down Galaxy.

With less than a minute to go, substitute Gaston Sirino found himself unmarked in the penalty area. He side-footed the corner goalwards and it ricocheted through the crowd and into the bottom corner.

Dazed at having thrown away the lead, Galaxy dragged themselves up to face extra time while Sundowns found renewed energy. The game then came down to penalties.

TS Galaxy debutant, Fiacre Ntwari was the hero between the sticks, sending Tim Sukazi and TS Galaxy into the quarter-finals with two important saves.

More about the Carling Knockout Cup

Sports Brief recently reported on the draw, fixtures, and prize money for the Carling Knockout Cup.

Orlando Pirates host Cape Town Spurs next before six more thrilling encounters on the weekend.

The winners of the competition will earn a collective R9.6 million from their four tourney matches.