Kaizer Chiefs claimed their place in the semi finals of the Telkom Knockout as a controversial penalty from Bernard Parker sealed a 1-0 win over Chippa United at a packed Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Sunday.
The AmaKhosi will now face league champions Bidvest Wits in the semi finals, which will be staged in a fortnights' time, with Polokwane City to host Bloemfontein Celtic in the other fixture.
Chiefs rode their luck at times against Chippa, who had enough chances to have won the game, but also found visiting goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune in sparkling form.
There was a scare for Chiefs and the South African national team at the death when Khune was stretchered off with what looked like a neck injury, leaving defender Daniel Cardoso to play the final few seconds as a makeshift gloveman.
Khune's predicament will be concerning for Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter with the national side set for key World Cup qualifiers home and away against Senegal over the next 10 days.
Khune is crucial to Bafana's chances of an unlikely set of double wins that would take them to Russia next year.
Chippa should have been ahead inside eight minutes when Chiefs defender Erick Mathoho bashed into Khune and Andile Mbenyane was unable to turn the ball into an empty net for the hosts.
Lerato Manzini also missed a good chance for the home side, while Khune made a fine save from Sizwe Mdlinzo's shot.
However, Chiefs had chances of their own, and had the ball in the net twice, only for goals for Parker and Willard Katsande to be disallowed for offside.
The crucial moment in the game came on 29 minutes when Chippa captain James Okwuosa was adjudged to have to have clattered into Chiefs' Joseph Malongoane and referee Phelelani Ndaba pointed to the spot.
It looked a soft award, but Parker took advantage of Chiefs' luck to convert from the spot.
Chippa saw much of the ball in the second period, but the tempo slowed as both sides looked to tire after what has been a busy programme of matches of late.
Lentjies swung in an excellent cross to the back post that was met by Paseko Mako, but he could only steer his shot wide in what was the best chance of the half for the hosts.