University of Pretoria became the first team to lift the MultiChoice Diksi Challenge trophy after beating Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 on penalties in the final at the Nike Football Training Centre in Pimville, Soweto on Saturday afternoon.
The match had finished 2-2 after extra time.
Botshelo Mfulwane opened the scoring in the 13th minute when he tapped Sifiso Nzimande's cross into the back of the net, scoring his fourth goal of the competition.
Sundowns were level six minutes later after defender Rheece Evans headed Percy Tau's free past Lebogang Ngubeni, whose slight touch wasn't enough to keep the ball out.
The match failed to produce any goals in the second half and the teams went into extra time.
Sundowns got their second when veteran striker Rodney Ramagalela beat an offside trap from Tau's through pass and raced towards goals before putting the ball past the advancing Ngubeni in 100th minute..
Tuks equalised eleven minutes later after Katlego Babile handled Dikgang Ngcobo's strike. The strike took the responsibility and converted the spotkick to make it 2-2.
The winner had to be decided via the penalty shootouts, which were dominated by missed attempts.
Mfulwane and Ronald Ketjijere scored their spotkicks for Tuks while Sundowns' only successful penalty was scored by Lebohang Mokoena.
Tuks were immediately camping on the Brazilians' half in the early stages with Dikgang Ngcobo getting the first chance of the match in the 4th minute when he was put through. Keeper Thela Ngobeni was quick to react and came out to block the striker's shot.
COMBINATION
Mfulwane connected with a well taken cross by Nzimande from the left six minutes later, but his diving header went wide although it appeared to have came off a Sundowns' defender.
The same combination struck again as the left winger whipped in another cross which was sided footed to the net by the stretching Mfulwane to give Tuks the lead.
The goal awakened their opponents as they forced a double save off Ngubeni who denied Tshepo Ntlaba and Mokoena in the 17th minute.
Evans got the equaliser two minutes later as he rose unchallenged to head the ball past Ngubeni from a set piece that was taken by Tau.
The tempo of the match was on a high from there on with end-to-end action. Ntlaba came close in the 34th minute but his shot was blocked for a corner.
The start of the second half was a carbon copy of the first as Ngcobo was again put through with Ngobeni coming out to to hold onto the ball.
Evans was given space from the midfield seven minutes into the half resulting in the defender taking a shot but it was tame and the keeper collected with ease.
WISE MOVE
Ntlaba shot straight at Ngubeni after being set up by Tau in the 57th minute. Sundowns made their first change five minutes later when Mpumelelo Hlatshwayo came on for Sihle Mbhele, which proved to be a wise move as the sub made them tick.
Defender Alan Robertson caused a scare when he was stretched off in the 68th minute but he quickly returned, much to the relief of his team.
Two minutes later, Hlatshwayo missed a great chance to be a hero for Sundowns when he failed to connect with the ball. Ntlaba laid the ball to Tau who raced to loop it over Ngubeni but Hlatshwayo miscued facing an open net and the defence recovered to clear.
Evans and Ntlaba were sacrificed for Ramagalela and Bongani Fakude, who was making his return from an injury.
Sundowns dominated proceedings with the tricky Hhlatshwayo breaking the Tuks' midfield, resulting in him winning over the crowd.
Ntandoyenkosi Ngubane missed a chance to add to the three goals he has in the competition when he shot over the bar in the 83rd minute after receiving a pass from Tau.
RARE CHANCE
Tuks got a rare chance after being forced to defend for a long period but Jason Skippers cleared Nzimande's cross with the lanky Lucky Mathosi ready to pounce.
Hlatshwayo delayed to cross the ball from inside the box with a number of his teammates in anticipation as they crowded the area, he was closed down and the defence cleared.
The final chance fell to Mfulwane who misdirected a free header. The match then went into extra time.
Sundowns continued from where they left off as local boy Snethemba Zulu fired a shot from outside the box that skimmed over the post.
Ramagalela made it 2-1 when he was put through by the in-form Tau and went on to put the ball past Ngubeni as Tuks had their appeal for offside turned down.
Sensing defeat, Tuks launched an attack after attack but Ngobeni easily dealt with their crosses.
Mfulwane headed wide ten minutes later in the final seconds of the first 15 minutes of the extra time.
They got the equaliser in the 111th minute when Ngcobo converted a penalty to score his third goal of the tournament.
Two minutes later, Babile almost scored a similar free kick to the one he scored in the quarterfinals on his debut but Ngubeni read the ball well and made a great save.
Mathosi almost capitalised from a miscommunication between Motsie Matima and Fakude inside the box with four minutes remaining, but the striker was unable to control the ball.
DRAMA
More drama followed as Tau twice had the ball into the back of the net but he was denied being the hero on both. The first one was ruled offside while the second one left many wondering why it was ruled out but replays showed that the midfielder's free kick had came through the side net.
The first ever Diski Challenge champions had to be decided on the shootouts, where four Sundowns' players missed their kicks. Babile shot over while Ramagalela hit the inside of the crossbar, Ngubane and Tau had theirs saved by Ngubeni.
Three attempts from Tuks were unsuccessful with Ngobeni saving captain Grant Kekana's penatly and that of Ngcobo while Nzimande sent his over the crossbar.
Tuks won after Mfulwane and Ketjijere converted, out scoring their opponents who only scored through Mokoena.
The champions will embark on a journey to Netherlands for an eight-day training camp from March 21.
Teams
Tuks: Ngubeni, Nkwana, Sibande, Kekana, Robertson, Ketjijere, Motlhatsang, Nzimande, Mfulwane, Ngcobo, Mathosi
Sundowns: Ngobeni, Evans, Babile, Skippers, Matima, Ngubane, Zulu, Mbhele, Tau, Ntlaba, Mokoena
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