Galaxy dump Sundowns out of cup in game where Zungu breaks Parker’s leg

TS Galaxy took advantage of a Mamelodi Sundowns heavily depleted by players returning from international duty to dump the Brazilians out of the new Carling Knockout Cup last 16 with Wednesday night's 5-4 penalties victory at Mbombela Stadium. 

Downs, impressively given how many players they were missing and that they played with 10 men for most of the second half, fought back from 2-0 down to 2-2 in normal time. That score remained through extra time.

Galaxy keeper Fiacre Ntwari was the hero of the shoot-out with two saves. 

Coach Sead Ramović's enterprising Rockets stunned a mixed-strength, new-look Downs finding their feet early in the game through Sphiwe Mahlangu's strike in the 12th minute and Mlungisi Mbunjana's second in the 16th.

Marcello Allende pulled one back in the 57th. Downs’ Bongani Zungu saw red a minute later for a nightmare challenge that broke veteran midfielder Bernard Parker’s leg. 

TV replays showed Parker’s shin snapping horrifically in an injury reminiscent of one famously suffered by Downs’ Dillon Sheppard against Free State Stars in 2007. At 37, after a glittering career in Europe and for Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs, Parker seems unlikely to kick a ball again professionally.

With that setback seeming to have ended Downs' chances of a revival in the game, substitute Gaston Sirino scored in the eighth minute of added time to send the game to a scoreless extra time, then penalties.

The cup tie was moved forward — after initial resistance to alter its calendar by the Premier Soccer League was ended by Confederation of African Football intervention — to make space for Downs’ participation in Caf’s hugely lucrative new African Football League (AFL).

The Brazilians travel to Angola for their AFL quarterfinal, first leg clash against Petro de Luanda on Saturday (5.30pm).

The rescheduling meant the proximity to the Fifa date and Bafana Bafana’s 1-1 draw against Ivory Coast in Abidjan on Tuesday night forced Downs to miss seven players who were coming back from national team duty.

Themba Zwane, Ronwen Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Mothobi Mvala, Grant Kekana, Teboho Mokoena and Maphosa Modiba were big-name absentees. With ace Namibian striker Peter Shalulile reportedly pulling up with a hamstring injury, coach Rulani Mokwena’s team was certainly under strength.

Downs still had plenty of quality on the field, but a combination that had mostly not played together initially battled to produce Downs' characteristic flowing football and also took time to settle defensively at the start.

In that period Downs were stunned by two early strikes.

Galaxy’s Brazilian forward Higor Vidal was played into space on the left and from his low pass across the face Zungu got in with a touch in front of goalkeeper Reyaad Pieterse, the ball spilling out from their mix-up to allow Mahlangu to bundle over.

Moments later the Rockets’ impressive, bulky central midfielder Mbunjana got in ahead of marker Zungu to head their second.

The depleted Downs had shown signs of gelling in the opening half. They reduced the deficit when Junior Mendieta teed up Allende who let loose a well-struck grass-cutter from outside the box that beat Ntwari.

The stage was set for a yellow comeback. Soon though Zungu, who had a night he will want to forget, went in with a horror studs-up challenge on Parker and referee Masixole Bambiso showed red.

With almost the last kick of the match Allende's corner fell to substitute Gaston Sirino who stroked a volley past Ntwari for a last-gasp equaliser.

Galaxy substitute Mpho Mvelase's header skimmed the crossbar in the final minute of a stalemate extra time.

In the shoot-out, Mbunjana, Kganyane Letsoenyo, Pogiso Sanoka, Marks Munyai and Samir Nurković scored for Galaxy. Higor Vidal hit the post.

Sundowns' Sirino, Allende, Keabetswe Ramotswei and Sphelele Mkhulise scored. Brian Onyango's first kick was saved by Ntwari, and so was the decisive last penalty by Lesiba Nku.