Richards Bay (0) 3
Mutizwa 84’, Nombengula 100’, Mahala 120’
Durban City (0) 1
Mokwena 52’
Richards Bay produced a dramatic late surge to defeat Durban City 3–1 after extra time in their Carling Knockout Cup quarterfinal at the Umhlathuze Sports Complex on Sunday afternoon.
The Natal Rich Boyz booked their spot in the semi-finals for the third season in a row in the tournament with a huge second half performance in front of their home crowd.
It took until the second half for the visitors to break the deadlock when Trevor Mokwena stunned the home crowd into silence with one of the strikes of the tournament.
The 24-year-old winger latched onto a clever knockdown from Saziso Magawana and unleashed a thunderous first-time half-volley that flew past goalkeeper Ian Otieno to put City ahead in the 52nd minute.
The goal appeared to set Gavin Hunt’s men on course for a famous away victory, but Richards Bay refused to fold.
Having lost momentum after falling to AmaZulu in the Betway Premiership a week earlier, Hunt’s side had arrived in Richards Bay looking for a response — and they initially produced one.
City’s first-half display was disciplined and composed. Hunt made only two changes to his starting eleven, with Hashim Domingo and Katleho Maphathe recalled in place of Samkelo Maseko and Fezile Gcaba.
The visitors controlled much of the first 45 minutes, moving the ball confidently and keeping the hosts pinned back in their own half.
Despite that control, they struggled to convert possession into real opportunities, and as the half progressed, Richards Bay began to find their rhythm.
The home side grew increasingly dangerous through their wide men and used the pace of Gabadinho Mhango to unsettle City’s back line.
Five minutes before the break, Mhango forced Darren Keet into a sharp save from close range, signalling the shift in momentum.
That pressure eventually paid off late in the second half. With six minutes of regulation time remaining, Richards Bay’s top scorer Knox Mutizwa arrived at the back post to turn in a low cross from Sbani Mtungwa, drawing the sides level at 1–1 and sending the home fans into raptures.
Buoyed by that equaliser, Ronnie Gabriel and Papi Zothwane’s men carried their energy into extra time, where their persistence finally told.
Substitute Mbulelo Nombengula, who had been lively since coming on, finished calmly in the 100th minute to complete the turnaround and give the Natal Rich Boys the lead.
And just as City threw everything forward in search of another equaliser, Lundi Mahala sealed the contest in the final minute of extra time with a composed finish to make it 3–1.
Richards Bay’s resilience and attacking depth shone through in a gripping contest that tested their character.
The result sees them advance to the semifinals of the Carling Knockout Cup, while Durban City’s promising debut campaign in the competition ends in heartbreak.
