Leopards still in PSL hunt
The hard-fought victory in a cold and wet Mother City sees Lidoda Duvha onto six points from their three play-off games.
A win over Polokwane City (seven points from three matches) on Sunday and Leopards will return to the PSL after just a single season in the National First Division.
Milano meanwhile ended their promotion campaign with just one point from four games.
The first half saw both sides having some good chances in front of goal, although it was the Cape team who posed the greater threat, their attacks splitting open the Leopards defence effectively on several occasions.
Milano were at it as early as the sixth minute when Devon Saal combined nicely with Lesvin Stoffels on the edge of the area, but the former saw his left-footed shot from the edge of the area being smothered by Leopards keeper Jacob Mokhasi.
Lidoda Duvha also endured that Tashrique Goldman was kept on his toes, the Milano keeper having to come off his line several times early on to cut out the Leopards front-runners, also doing well to keep out Leonard Ntshangase's near-post drive on 23 minutes.
It was the hosts however who should really have taken the lead before the break, but first Saal failed to get on the end of a dangerous ball across goal from Stoffels, who then himself twice missed the target with headers from within six yards of goal.
At the other end of the park, the Limpopo side also wasted a great chance when Brian Amidu failed to control the ball with the goal at his mercy eight minutes ahead of the break.
The second half saw Milano starting on the front foot, but Mokhasi was again on top of his game as he kept out a Saal shot.
The introduction of substitute Rendani Ndou by visiting coach Kosta Papic saw Leopards offering more purpose and intensity when going forward, but Ndou failed to capitalise as he twice headed wide of the mark from good scoring chances.
To his credit however Ndou kept on putting himself in the box and with 11 minutes to go his persistence paid off when he received a square ball from Ntshangase and forced the ball past the on-rushing Goldman.
(File photo:Gallo Images)