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Cape Town - Baroka FC claimed a 1-0 smash-and-grab victory over Limpopo rivals Polokwane City in a Nedbank Cup Round of 32 encounter at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Substitute Prince Nxumalo scored the all-important goal in the 73rd minute with Bakgaga progressing despite having fewer of the goalscoring opportunities.
Polokwane City began in energetic fashion, taking the game to their opponents and should have been in front after ten minutes.
Puleng Tlolane brought a fine save out of Elvis Chipezeze, who had to dive low to his left to keep out the Rise and Shine midfielder's fizzing grass-cutter in the opening exchanges.
And then Bongile Booi's cross from the right-hand side to the near post was unluckily directed on the post and wide from Rise and Shine striker Mohammed Anas in the ninth minute, with the visitors enjoying a lucky escape.
In the 23rd minute, Bakgaga had their best opportunity of the game thus far. Thamsanqa Masiya cut inside from the left-hand side and struck the ball fiercely at goal but it rose narrowly over the bar.
With five minutes to go before the interval, Anas laid the ball of kindly to Tlolane on the edge of the box, who hit the ball with the outside of his foot but it curled just wide of the right-hand upright.
On the stroke of half-time, Baroka defender Denwin Farmer gave the ball away but made a superb recovery, stretching every sinew of his body to make a last-ditch block on Anas' shot.
Anas was taken off at half-time having been unable to shake off an injury sustained early in the first half and replaced by Charlton Mashumba.
Booi came close on the hour-mark when he struck the ball with the outside of his foot but it spun narrowly wide of the left-hand upright.
Bakgaga took the lead against the run of play in the 73rd minute when Nxumalo, who came on for Masiya in the 57th minute, kneed the ball home from Gerald Phiri Jr's corner.
Dylan Kerr's side were looking to put the game to bed. Nxumalo fed the ball into the feet of Ivan Mahangwahaya, who struck the ball fiercely but it was wide of the left-hand upright.
Mashumba had a glorious opportunity to take the game to extra time when he was unmarked in the box but could only direct his header wide of the target as Bakgaga claimed the bragging rights in the provincial derby but more importantly progressed to the last 16.
- TeamTalk Media
