Ngwenya’s Early Goal Sets Up a Wild Afternoon
Chatsworth Stadium got a proper spectacle out of this one. AmaZulu broke the deadlock inside 14 minutes through Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya, who pounced on a loose ball in the box and fired home from six yards to send the home crowd into an early roar. Sekhukhune responded well without finding an immediate equaliser — Ellis Rammala went close midway through the half, racing clear down the right and forcing a save with a low strike — and AmaZulu carried their slim lead into the closing stages of the first half before Sekhukhune finally leveled things through Tshepo Mokoane in the 44th minute.
Two Quick-Fire Goals Flip the Game, Then AmaZulu Fight Back
Sekhukhune came out for the second half and completely changed the complexion of the match. Givemore Khupe fired home from close range in the 53rd minute after AmaZulu failed to properly clear a corner, and just a minute later Rammala doubled the visitors’ advantage with a thunderous strike from the edge of the box, suddenly putting Sekhukhune 3-1 up and threatening to run away with it.
AmaZulu weren’t finished, though. Ngwenya grabbed his second of the afternoon in the 56th minute to pull one back, and just two minutes after that, Taariq Fielies leveled things at 3-3, dragging the home side right back into a game that had looked to be slipping away from them entirely. From there, neither side could find a way through in normal time, and the tie went to extra time locked at three apiece.
Letlapa Settles It in Extra Time
The additional 30 minutes went almost the full distance without a breakthrough, right up until the 97th minute, when Sekhukhune substitute Letlapa found the net to make it 4-3 and, ultimately, settle a genuinely thrilling afternoon of football. AmaZulu pushed for a response in the closing stages of extra time but couldn’t find one, and Sekhukhune held on to seal their place in the last four.
What It Means Next
It’s a big moment for Sekhukhune, who reach the MTN8 semi-finals for the second season running under Cedric Kaze — a real turnaround after losing their first two quarter-final appearances in the competition back in 2022/23 and 2024/25. They’ll now face defending champions Orlando Pirates in a two-legged semi-final. For AmaZulu, it’s a third straight MTN8 defeat, their longest losing run in the competition since at least 2020, and a fifth game running without beating Sekhukhune across all competitions — a tough pill to swallow after leading twice in a game they ultimately couldn’t see out.
Match Summary
AmaZulu 3-4 Sekhukhune United (AET) MTN8, Quarter-final — Chatsworth Stadium, Durban, South Africa Sunday, 9 August 2026
Goals: 14′ Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya (AmaZulu) 1-0 44′ Tshepo Mokoane (Sekhukhune United) 1-1 53′ Givemore Khupe (Sekhukhune United) 1-2 54′ Ellis Rammala (Sekhukhune United) 1-3 56′ Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya (AmaZulu) 2-3 58′ Taariq Fielies (AmaZulu) 3-3 97′ Letlapa (Sekhukhune United) 3-4
Result: Sekhukhune United win a seven-goal thriller in extra time to reach the MTN8 semi-finals, where they’ll face Orlando Pirates.
For live MTN8 scores and match coverage, visit fawanews. Full results and bracket at the official MTN8 website.
