Rising 18-year-old star Shandre Campbell scored a brace and earned the player of the match award as Matsatsantsa made light work of Natal Rich Boyz.
Smiso Msomi
RICHARDS BAY (0) 1
Mthethwa 84’
SUPERSPORT UNITED (2) 3
Campbell 6’ 44’ Lungu 93’
SUPERSPORT United beat Richards Bay FC 3-1 to book their spot in the quarter-finals of the Nedbank Cup at Umlazi’s King Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday.
Rising 18-year-old star Shandre Campbell scored a brace and earned the player of the match award as Matsatsantsa made light work of Natal Rich Boyz.
The two teams began the match in typical cup competition style with a high tempo and end to end action.
Campbell continued with his rich vein of form as he fired SuperSport ahead from a long way out inside six minutes.
Playing at an elite level! 🌟 #NedbankCup pic.twitter.com/oz7FIGd5O2
— Nedbank Sport (@nedbanksport) March 16, 2024
The Matsatsantsa academy graduate launched a ferocious free kick that bounced and deceived goalkeeper Salim Magoola to give his team the advantage.
Richards Bay could’ve equalised with five minutes of the first half remaining when Somila Ntsundwana won a penalty for the home side.
However, Justice Figareido could not compose himself with the spot kick as Ricardo Goss continued his penalty saving streak that began in the last round.
Three minutes later, Campbell finished well at the far post to hand SuperSport full control before the break.
Much of the talk before this encounter was around the 2023/2024 battles between both sets of coaches with Vusumuzi Vilakazi having beaten Gavin Hunt three times already with three different teams.
SuperSport United get the job done in KZN to advance to the #NedbankCup quarter-finals. 👏 pic.twitter.com/tssliTbZ1q
— Nedbank Sport (@nedbanksport) March 16, 2024
The host team were clearly not prepared to employ any preservative tactics as Kanu fielded Ntsundwana, Figareido and Thulani Gumede from the get-go, in search of goals.
Hunt on the other hand made three changes to the team that drew with Mamelodi Sundowns in the league.
Bradley Grobler missed out through injury while Lyle Lakay and Bilal Baloyi dropped to the bench under partly cloudy conditions in Umlazi.
SuperSport went into the break the happier of the two sides while Richards Bay needed to make four changes with defeat on their doorstep.
Attackers Yanela Mbuthuma and Moses Mthembu joined midfielder Langelihle Mhlongo and defender Sibusiso Mthethwa to replace Ntsundwana, Figareido, Tercious Malepe and Thabani Dube.
The best chance the hosts created came through a combination between substitutes as Mthembu lofted a cross into the box but Mbuthuma’s effort ricocheted off the upright and back into play before being cleared by the visitors.
Mthethwa gave Richards Bay a lifeline with a goal in the 84th minute but it proved futile as SuperSport rounded off the match with a stoppage time goal from Gamphani Lungu.
The Zambian attacker finished off a brilliant counter attack in added time with Magoola having gone up for a corner kick.
