JOHANNESBURG – Although Black Leopards did not come back with the Charity Cup, their performance against Kaizer Chiefs in the finals of the tournament was by far above everybody's expectation. Leopards lost 8-9 in the finals at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday.

The Limpopo outfit suffered a blow in the 7th minute when their killer-striker, Magic Ratshivhadelo, was reprimanded with a card. Despite this Leopards continued to fire on all cylinders to the bitter end.

They were rewarded in the 44th minute. Lidoda Duvha took the lead when Rowan Fernandez, the Chiefs' keeper lobbed the ball goalwards and Cyril Nzama, Amakhosi's captain, headed the ball into his own net in a failed attempt to save the situation. Chiefs found the equaliser on the restart after Joas Macamo rose unchallenged to meet Arthur Zwane's place kick.

Leopards were again hit below the belt when their lethal striker, Byala Mushadu, was booked for rough tackling. Mushadu and Ratshivhadelo were later replaced by Richard Lishivha and Rudzani Ramudzuli. Chiefs effected several changes in the second half.

Sensing that the game was taking the route of a penalty shoot-out, the Chiefs' coach, Mushin Ertugral, made the last change to his original line-up, when he replaced Rowan Fernandez with their first choice keeper, Brian Baloyi, towards the end of the official time.

The winner was determined by penalty shoot-out. Five penalties were awarded and both sides missed one of the five chances. The last resort was the sudden-death penalty-shootout. Chiefs scored four while Leopards watched in pain as the Chiefs keeper, Brian Baloyi, saved Thokozani Mnguni's ground cutter.

Wherever he is, Mnguni must be wondering what sin he had committed against Chiefs, as each time the two sides met he always committed mistakes that benefited the Amakhosi. He became the talk of the town last season, when he committed "suicide" by scoring an own goal against the same team in their league match.

As if he were hypnotized, Mnguni allowed Joas Macamo to go unchallenged before scoring the equalising goal for Chiefs on Saturday.

The Leopards' MD, Mr David Thidiela, stated that his side had not been disgraced by the defeat, because they matched Chiefs pound for pound.