Sundowns to clash with Chiefs in Carling Knockout semi-finals

Carling Knockout Cup Trophy

The Premier Soccer League [PSL] has officially confirmed the semi-final fixtures for the Carling Knockout Cup following a dramatic conclusion to the quarter-final action on Sunday evening.

Highlighted by a blockbuster showdown between Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs, the draw was conducted live on SuperSport TV immediately after Chiefs secured their spot in the last four with a hard-fought victory over Siwelele FC.

Defending champions Orlando Pirates were drawn against Stellenbosch FC to complete a high-stakes semi-final line-up.

This confirms the final four line-up, with Sundowns and Stellenbosch securing home advantage against  Chiefs and Pirates, respectively, following the conclusion of the quarter-final action.

Sundowns set the pace back on Tuesday, 3 November, becoming the first team to lock in a semi-final spot with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Golden Arrows at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.

CARLING KNOCKOUT LAST 4 REVEALED: HOW THE QUARTER-FINALS WENT DOWN

On Saturday, 7 November, Pirates advanced to the next round with a 1-0 win against Sekhukhune United at the Orlando Amstel Arena in Soweto.

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou at the Carling Knockout Cup draw event
Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou at the Carling Knockout Cup draw event. Photo: Nchavo-Graphics/Nchavo Shabangu

The quarter-final action concluded on Sunday night with the remaining two fixtures. These two encounters started at 18:00 CAT to accommodate Sunday’s CAF Super Cup clash between Sundowns and Algeria’s USM Alger. Played at Loftus Versfeld in a 15:00 kickoff, Sundowns fell to a 3-1 defeat against USM Alger.

Chiefs earned a hard-fought 2-1 win over Siwelele FC at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. Meanwhile, Stellenbosch FC locked in their semi-final berth by defeating AmaZulu FC 2-1 at Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch.

CARLING KNOCKOUT CUP DRAW PROCEDURE BY THE PSL

a) The semi-final draw was unseeded in accordance with Carling Knockout competition rules.

b) All four club names were placed in a single bowl for the draw.

c) The first ball drawn represented the home team for the first fixture. The second ball represented the away team. This process was repeated to confirm the second fixture.

The PSL is expected to confirm the venues, dates, and kick-off times for the semi-finals in due course.

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