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Durban - Bornwell Mwape swept home an extra-time winner as AmaZulu fought back from two goals down to clinch a dramatic 3-2 Telkom Knockout victory over Bloemfontein Celtic in KwaMashu, north of Durban, on Saturday night.
Dumisani Zuma and Vuyani Ntanga had given Siwelele a 2-0 lead after 80 minutes, but stunning long-range strikes by Marc van Heerden and Khulekani Madondo within the space of two minutes forced extra time at the Princess Magogo Stadium.
By that stage the visitors were already playing with 10 men after the dismissal of Wandisile Letlabika.
Zambia forward Mwape then scored four minutes into extra time to give Usuthu their first win this season.
The win also came without coach Craig Rosslee on the bench after he was given a temporary break and assistant Wilfred Mugeyi put in charge.
The Durbanites began the stronger of the two sides with two decent chances in the opening 10 minutes. First Mwape shot just wide of the upright, before fellow forward Goodman Dlamini saw his goal-bound effort blocked by Ruben Cloete.
The pressure in the final third continued to come from the home side with Madondo firing over, while a Tshepo Liphoko strike followed the same path - Usuthu again showing poor composure in the final third.
Celtic's best chance in the midst of AmaZulu's assault was a deflected Lerato Lamola's shot that struck the body of defender Carlington Nyadombo and went wide.
There was finally a shot on target after over 35 minutes and it went the way of Siwelele, but Aubrey Mathibe managed to palm Lamola's 15-yard shot away the attempt. The resulting Musa Nyatama corner was headed over by Mogogi Gabonamong, while Zuma was also off target with his shot after creating space and shooting from the right side of the area.
It was goalless at the break and after the restart the visitors came out with a bang as they hit the lead through Zuma.
The 19-year-old struck a right-footed shot beyond Mathibe after being played in by Nyatama.
Celtic kept up the pressure and Lamola and Jacky Motshegwa shot narrowly over, the second effort a swerving free-kick.
AmaZulu did manage a decent chance of their own before the hour when Van Heerden's free-kick was not gathered cleanly by Patrick Tignyemb with Mwape watching his shot cleared from the danger area by Cloete.
Rosslee's men were thrown a huge lifeline after 63 minutes when Letlabika was handed his marching orders after a second yellow card.
Substitute Bongani Ndulula and Mwape both wasted the immediate chances, before it appeared that the game was sealed when replacement Ntanga netted with virtually his first touch.
But there was a sting in the tail thanks to Van Heerden and Madondo strikes in the 81st and 83rd minutes respectively.
And when the match entered extra time, Mwape gave his side the lead for the first time by guiding home a left-sided Van Heerden cross from close range.
Sadat Ouro-Akoriko was sent off in the 101st minute, but AmaZulu held on for a famous win.
