Heartbreak For Ben Youssef As Richards Bay Dump Durban City Out On Penalties
Khalil Ben Youssef’s tenure as Durban City head coach got off to a disappointing start as his side was eliminated from the KZN Premier’s Cup in Saturday’s playoff match at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium.
Defending champions Richards Bay secured a 5–4 win in a dramatic penalty shootout after the match ended 1–1 in regulation time. Lwandile Mabuya sealed the victory for Bay, coolly sending City goalkeeper Frederick Asare the wrong way with the decisive spot-kick.
Ben Youssef, who replaced former coach Pitso Dladla during the off-season, watched his side fall behind on the stroke of halftime. After Tylo Sanger brought down Lundi Mahala inside the box, Moses Mthembu stepped up to convert the resulting penalty and put Richards Bay ahead.
Durban City drew level in the 58th minute through an unfortunate own goal by Lindokuhle Zikhali. The midfielder—one of Bay’s unsung heroes during their title-winning campaign last season—accidentally turned the ball into his own net while attempting to clear the danger, leaving him visibly distraught.
Richards Bay nearly snatched a late winner at the end of regulation time when Siphamandla Makhalala’s curling free-kick rattled the crossbar.
With the scores deadlocked at 1–1, the tie went straight to a penalty shootout—a decision made by tournament organizers to manage player workload during pre-season. Richards Bay held their nerve from the spot to earn a 5–4 victory and advance to the semi-finals.
