Richards Bay booked their place in the back-to-back Carling Knockout Cup semi-finals with a nail-biting 5-4 penalty shootout victory over Cape Town City after a goalless draw.

The two sides, starving of cup glory, clashed under a scorching Durban sun at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday. The Natal Rich Boys are in the second successive Carling Cup semifinal appearance having knocked out Orlando Pirates in last season’s quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, City looked to go a step closer to securing their second league cup in the history of the club, last won under Eric Tinkler during his 2016 stint at the Citizens.

Both teams started off in a relatively slow momentum, demonstrating patience in the build up with either side looking to take the game to the other. The intensity gradually increased as the first half progressed despite minimal clear goal scoring opportunities.

The half an hour mark arrived with neither team having tested the goalkeepers. City had registered just two attempts with the home side having just taken a single shot.

A fairly evenly matched encounter just lacking in adequate decision-making in the final third, gradually saw the KwaZulu-Natal side gain momentum towards the latter stages of the first half. Bay eventually registered their first shot on target in the 45^th minute, with Siyabonga Dube forcing an excellent save from Darren Keet.

The match eventually hit half time with the two sides walking under the tunnel with shared spoils from an underwhelming first half clash performance.

The second half kicked off at Umlazi with City looking to have upped the tempo a notch. However, the game continued where it had left off in the first half, lacking a single moment of brilliance.

The Natal Rich Boys made their first two substitutions in the 58^th minute. Forward, Justice Figuareido and midfielder Thato Mohlamme replaced Ntlonelo Bomelo and Thabisa Ndelu.

The game reached the hour mark at a similar state with both midfields lacking decision making in their offensive stages.

A clear goal scoring opportunity was squandered by City forward, Amadou Soukunda in the 64^th minute as he found himself one on one with the goalkeeper, only to lace it against the legs of Ian Otieno.

In the 72^nd minute, both teams looked to add fresh legs in their wings with Bay replacing Thulani Gumede with Somila Ntsundwana on their left flank and Tinkler replacing Jaedin Rhodes with Kayden Francis.

The 21-year-old made immediate impact from City’s right flank, striking a long-range attempt, forcing a good save from Otieno and winning a corner kick for the visitors.

A yellow card was dished out to City’s 18-year-old Gabriel Amato as he brought a man down in the middle of the park, stopping a dangerous Bay counterattack in the 70^th minute.

Both teams looked to snatch it at the end adding fresh legs in the 86^th minute. Thabang Sibanyoni replaced Siyethemba Sithebe for Bay while Hashim Domingo and Soukouna were replaced by Prins Tjiueza and Taahir Goedeman for the Citizens.

Neither side did enough to win it in the 90^th minute as the referee blew his whistle for full time, sending the game to extra time.

Seven minutes into extra time, a golden opportunity presented itself for the Natal Rich Boys as Langelihle Mhlongo was in front of an open net at the end of an exquisite cross, only to head it back to Keet who was running back to goal.

It eventually looked like a contest of missed opportunities as the Citizens followed by missing two back-to-back clear-cut chances.

In the last minute of the extra time, 23-year-old Mhlongo was sent off with a straight red card after an unlucky follow-through tackle on Fortune Makaringe having already cleared the ball.

The City midfielder was stretchered off with an ankle injury. A few moments after, the referee blew his whistle signaling the end of extra time and sending the sides to penalties.

After 120 minutes of goal-less football, Richards Bay FC booked themselves a spot in the Carling Cup semi finals, edging Cape Town City 5-4 in penalty shootouts.