BY BHEKIMPILO WEZA
Masters and Dragons stormed into the Kachechete Football League Cup semi-finals after beating Zamalek and Ajax in the quarter finals over the weekend.
In an exciting weekend for the Kachechete Football League, it was Dragons who set the tone for a dream final when they dispatched a determined Zamalek on Saturday afternoon.
Zamalek, who dominated the match, were very unlucky to have been knocked out after penalty shootouts.
The team played with vigour and determination, put ting up a spirited performance but all was in vain when the match was decided through spot kicks.
They could have won it after 90 minutes, but their captain Derrick Weza missed two golden opportunities, with the most hurting one being in the 78th minute when he was set through by hard working Buzani Weza.
The captain reacted very slowly and allowed Dragons defender Cornwell Moyo to clear the danger.
Zamalek had been handed another opportunity 28 minutes into the match, but again,t he captain missed it.
In the 43rd minute, Zamalek were denied what looked like a clear goal when Mthabisi Ngwenya broke through, but the referee Nkululeko Mahlangu adjudged him to have been offside.
It was a day that Dragons will regret with only one chance in the entire match.
The chance fell into the head of their top man Mqabuko Ndlovu’s head, but his header was weak and it went wide.
When the referee blew the final whistle, it was now left to the players to decide who goes to the semis.
The Dragons used their experience and scored all their spot kicks with Zamalek missing one to bow out five goals to three.
Speaking at the end of the game, Dragons coach Dominic Ncube admitted that the host was the better side.
For Zamalek, coach Bikani Weza said the defeat meant going back to the drawing board..
“It’s a setback,” he said.
“We wanted to progress, but that’s football.
“We will work on the team as we build for next season and good luck to Dragons in the semis.”
Meanwhile, Masters beat Ajax 2-1 in an entertaining quarter final on the same day.
Masters got their goals from Mbekezeli Moyo and Farai Ndlovu against a lsaac Mvundlas consolation to progress to the semis of the league cup.
The win by Masters brings memories of a dream final as they avoided Dragons in the semi-finals.
They will have to face an unpredictable Mopane, who overcame the Legends by three goals to nil in the quarter finals.
The semi-finals will be on Saturday with the final set for the sixth of November.
FIXTURES
Dragon vs Ziyabaluma
Masters vs Mopane