Stephens saves the day for Stellenbosch

KAIZER Chiefs are a club in a crisis. The drama surrounding the recent departure of coach Nasreddine Nabi has now escalated with Chiefs being dumped out of the Carling Knockout Cup by 10-man Stellenbosch FC 5-4 on penalties in dramatic circumstances at the DHL Stadium yesterday.

- ZAAHIER ADAMS

Chiefs goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari, who was brought in for the inform Brandon Petersen due to squad rotation, was called to be substituted moments before the penalty shootout with Bruce Bvuma on the touchline ready to come on.

But Ntwari, in similar fashion to when former Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga infamously resisted Maurizio Sarri's attempt to substitute him late in extra time of the English Carabao Cup final, refused assistant coach Khalil Ben Youssef's call.

The blatant act of defiance saw Bvuma return to the dugout with Ntwari taking his place in goals for the penalty shootout.

To the Rwandan international's credit, he acrobatically dived to his right to palm away Stellenbosch FC striker Andre de Jongh's first penalty to give Chiefs the early lead in the shootout.