Gallants beat Arrows to set up Carling Knockout final against Pirates

Marumo Gallants clinched their spot in the Carling Knockout Cup final after defeating Golden Arrows 4-2 on penalties in a dramatic semi-final clash at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday. The nail-biting encounter concluded 2-2 after 120 minutes of action.

The victory means Gallants will now face Soweto giants Orlando Pirates in the showpiece final scheduled for Saturday, December 6, at a venue yet to be announced.

Semi-Final Drama: A Second Half Goal Rush

The opening half was a tight, tense affair with neither side willing to commit fully, leading to few clear-cut opportunities. Golden Arrows had an appeal for a penalty on the half-hour mark when Nqobeko Dlamini appeared to be fouled in the box, but the referee waved away the pleas, and the teams went into the break locked at 0-0.

The match exploded to life immediately after the restart:

53′ Arrows Strike First: The home side took the lead when Isaac Cisse powered home a header from a corner kick.

55′ Ndlondlo Responds: It took Gallants just two minutes to level matters, courtesy of a fierce Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo long-range shot that caught goalkeeper Xolani Ngcobo off guard.

58′ Gallants Take the Lead: Before Arrows could regroup, Gallants struck again. Christopher Sithole executed a brilliant chip, catching Ngcobo off-guard to hand the visitors a 2-1 lead.

Ndlondlo nearly scored a decisive third, but Ngcobo managed to save the one-on-one effort. However, Arrows fought back hard and were rewarded in the 70th minute when Nqobeko Dlamini smashed a shot home from outside the box following a Junior Dion assist, forcing the game into extra time.

Pirates Await in the Final

With the scoreboard unmoved through extra time, the semi-final was decided by penalties, where Marumo Gallants ultimately proved superior, converting their kicks to secure the 4-2 shootout win.

They will now meet Orlando Pirates, who booked their place in the final on Saturday after a tough 1-0 victory over Richards Bay at Moses Mabhida Stadium. Pirates’ hero was Tshepang Moremi, whose strike on the stroke of halftime ensured the Sea Robbers reached the League Cup final for the first time since the 2018/19 season.