Nick Said, Special to ESPN 6y

Kaizer Chiefs' beaten by Free State Stars in Nedbank Cup semifinal 



Kaizer Chiefs' wretched season hit a new low on Saturday when they were dumped out of the Nedbank Cup following a 2-0 semifinal loss to Free State Stars.

Harris Tchilimbou netted the opener after just 45 seconds and then added a second in the opening half as Stars reached a first major cup final in 19 years. They will now face the winner of Sunday's clash between Maritzburg United and Mamelodi Sundowns.

It also means that Chiefs coach Steve Komphela will end his three-year tenure without a trophy at the Soweto giants, a footnote in the club's history he will want to forget.

There were more unsavoury incidents as the crowd pelted the Chiefs bench with objects and with the club having just received a suspended sentence for similar crowd behaviour this week, they could find themselves R200,000 poorer in the morning.

Stars were deserving of their win as the side rejuvenated under Belgian coach Luc Eymael made a fast start and comfortably held Amakhosi at bay.

Congo forward Tchilimbou grabbed his first when he rose between two Chiefs defenders to head home Nyiko Mobbie's cross inside the first minute.

It was 2-0 on 34 minutes when Patrick Phungwayo's cross was missed by Chiefs defender Daniel Cardoso and Tchilimbou profited to score his second.

Chiefs did have chances after that, but Stars keeper Thela Ngobeni was in excellent form as he saved expertly from Joseph Molangoane and Pule Ekstein.

Young Chiefs forward Ryan Moon also put two headers wide early on, while Colombian forward Leonardo Castro got his header completely wrong when it seemed easier to score.

Stars were able to comfortably hold on for the win as they reach a first major cup final since losing to Mamelodi Sundowns in the decider of the Rothmans Cup in 1999. 


Their only major knockout trophy victory came in 1994 when they claimed the Coca-Cola Cup, beating Cape Town-based Hellenic in the decider. 

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