Football
Nick Said, Special to ESPN 6y

Billiat the hero for Chiefs in roller-coaster MTN8 semifinal

Khama Billiat scored one and provided an assist for the other as Kaizer Chiefs played to a 2-2 draw in their roller-coaster MTN8 semifinal, first leg against SuperSport United in Pretoria on Sunday.

Chiefs led early after the opener for the Zimbabwean, but were then forced to come from behind when a first-half double from SuperSport striker Bradley Grobler put the hosts ahead.

The return leg will be played at FNB Stadium next Saturday, with the winner to face either Cape Town City or Mamelodi Sundowns, with the former leading 1-0 from the first leg in the Mother City on Saturday.

Chiefs took the lead after 20 minutes when Dumisani Zuma's low ball across the face of goal was tapped home at the back post by Billiat; his second goal since arriving from Sundowns at the start of the season.

But after Grobler had forced Chiefs keeper Itumeleng Khune into a fine double-save, the Bafana Bafana forward found the equaliser.

He used his body to hold off the defender, before swiveling to steer the ball into the bottom corner.

Dean Furman almost put the hosts in front with a rasping shot that rattled the crossbar with Khune beaten, before Grobler grabbed his second with another predatory strike, this time lashing the ball into the top corner after he was again given too much time in the box by the static Chiefs defence.

The visitors were level again just a minute into the second half when Billiat turned provider, this time laying the ball off for Colombian forward Leonardo Castro, who provided a neat finish for his third goal of the season.

Billiat then shot wide when he should have hit the target from Castro's cross, and Grobler was denied his hat-trick by a fine save from Khune.

The score remained level to the end, with Chiefs now victorious in just one game in six under new coach Giovanni Solinas this season, but still in with a chance of lifting a first piece of silverware in more than three years.

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