Goals from substitutes Thuso Phala and George Maluleka in extra-time secured SuperSport United a 3-1 win over Moroka Swallows in the Telkom Knockout quarterfinal match at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Edward Manqele needed just seconds to cancel out Bradley Grobler's 61st minute strike to end the game all square after 90 minutes, sending the game into extra-time

The home side couldn’t be stopped in extra-time as they became the first side to qualify for the final four of the tournament.

With the heat sitting at a staggering 30 degrees, the two teams took a cautious approach to the game as the ball was merely passed about.

Swallows were then handed a blow as early as the 13th minute, when a crunching tackle by Innocent Mdledle forced Lefa Tsutsulupa to be substituted through injury.

The Birds then reacted with a rash challenge on David Mathebula by Lerato Chabangu, which resulted in a scuffle between several players from each team.

That was as much excitement as there was to be in the opening 20 minutes of the encounter as neither goalkeeper had much to do.

However, three minutes later, Larry Cohen nearly put the ball into the back of net as he stretched out for a long ball at the far-post, but he missed the cross by just millimetres.

Swallows were working their play well on the counter and they saw a shot by Siyabonga Nomvethe blocked by Sibusiso Khumalo just after the half hour mark.

Giorgi Nergadze then followed up with a long range effort, but it did nothing to trouble Ronwen Williams, sailing high over the goal frame.

Cohen was proving to be the visitors’ main threat on the day and he, once again, nearly turned the ball into the back of the net, in the 38th minute, with a left-footed strike which sliced along the side netting.

Five minutes after the restart, Roger da Costa started a beautiful movent with a looping ball to Chabangu. The Bafana Bafana international struck it on the half-volley, from just outside the box, but only for it to fall straight into the hands of Williams.

As the hour mark struck, goal mouth action started to come thick and fast and it welcomed two goals just a minute apart from each other.

Substitute George Maluleka created the deadlock breaking goal as he beat Cohen in the box to slice a ball through to the onrushing and unmarked Bradley Grobler. It was too easy for the striker, who tapped the ball into the back of an open net, 1-0.

And straight after the restart, SuperSport allowed Swallows back into the game when a failed clearance by Bevan Fransman allowed Edward Manqele to half-volley the ball into the back of the net, 1-1.

Grobler should’ve made it 2-1 in the 70th minute after a moment of confusion in Swallows’ defence saw him needing to place the ball into the back of an empty net. However, the former Ajax man failed at the task as it went painfully wide of goal.

As a result of missed chances the game was forced into an additional 30 minutes of extra-time, and Maluleka nearly got his name on the scorehseet with a brilliantly taken free-kick which was tipped over by Greg Etafia.

Sibusiso Khumalo made a crucial interception on Siyabonga Nomvethe’s cross on the byline in the 103rd minute of play, before Thuso Phala and Maluleka secured the victory.

Cohen initially made a brilliant clearance, but it fell as far as Grobler, who laid it onto Phala and he fired a low ball into the back of the net on the stroke of halftime.

Maluleka made it 3-1 after latching onto Doutie’s looping ball before beating Da Costa to book their ticket into the semifinals of the competition.

SuperSport United: (0) 1 (Manqele 62’)
Moroka Swallows: (0) 3 (Grobler 61’, Phala 105’, Maluleka 107’)

United: Williams, Moloi, Khumalo, Fransman, September, Doutie, Mkhabela, Mdledle (Phala 66’), Lentjies (Maluleka 54’), Niang (Grobler 59’), Mathebula,

Swallows: Etafia, Mungomeni, Da Costa, Cohen, Mokgothu, Mbekile, Nergadze (Obada 74’), Chabangu (Mabalane 93’), Tsutsulupa (Ogle 13’), Nomvethe, Manqele