Cape Town City, Sundowns set for first Nedbank Cup clash

Oupa Manyisa of Mamelodi Sundowns fouled by Roland Putsche of Cape Town City during the Absa Premiership 2017/18 match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Cape Town City at Loftus Versveld Stadium, Pretoria South Africa on 19 December 2017 ©Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

by Graeme Jackson

Friday Mar 30, 2018. 14:30

Cape Town City and Mamelodi Sundowns will meet for a first Nedbank Cup match when they clash in the quarterfinals at Cape Town Stadium on 1 April 2018, kick-off at 15h00.

City earned their place in the last eight with 1-0 wins over both Bidvest Wits (away in the last 32) and Orlando Pirates (home in the last 16). A goal apiece from Matthew Rusike and Ayanda Patosi has seen the Cape side overcome their fellow top flight clubs thus far.

After last season’s first-round exit at the hands of Acornbush United, reaching the quarterfinals represents a new club record for the Citizens.

City come into the game on the back of a 2-1 home loss at the hands of Mozambican side Costa do Sol in a CAF Confederation Cup match on March 18. The result saw the Cape side exit the continental competition on away goals after a 2-2 aggregate draw.

Sundowns’ place in the quarters has been earned by wins over lower-league sides Cape Town All Stars (1-0 away) and EC Bees (2-1 at home) in the last 32 and last 16 respectively. Percy Tau, Hlompho Kekana and Thapelo Morena have scored their goals in the cup campaign thus far.

The Brazilians are four-time winners of the Nedbank Cup (1986, 1998, 2008, 2015), while in last year’s edition of the competition they were eliminated in the last 16 round after being upset 1-0 at home by Golden Arrows.

‘Downs come into the game on the back of a 2-0 home win over Rwanda’s Rayon Sports in the CAF Champions League on March 18. The result saw the Tshwane side become the first South African side to qualify for the group stage of the premier continental competition for three successive years.

In head-to-head stats, this will be the first cup meeting of City and Sundowns. However, they have crossed swords in four previous league matches: the Cape side have claimed three wins, but the Brazilians were triumphant in the most recent match, a league clash in early February which was decided by a lone goal from Khama Billiat.