Semifinal berths up for grabs in South Africa’s Nedbank Cup

by Austin Ditlhobolo

Saturday Mar 30, 2019. 13:00

Three semifinal berths in South Africa’s 2019 Nedbank Cup will be decided this weekend, with the likes of Bidvest Wits and Kaizer Chiefs chasing glory.

The competition’s final four already has one slot filled: National First Division club TS Galaxy won their quarterfinal away to fellow second-tier side Umoya Cape United earlier in the week.

Dan Malesela’s Rockets came from a goal down to beat the hosts 2-1 at Athlone Stadium thanks to strikes from Zakhele Lepasa and Snethemba Ngidi.

The first teams looking to join them in the semis are Bloemfontein Celtic and Golden Arrows, who will have their first-ever cup meeting at the Dr Molemela Stadium later this afternoon.

The match sees former Phunya Sele Sele coach Steve Komphela looking to get one over his old team, while the hosts will hope forward Tshegofatso Mabasa continues his fine scoring form and fires them into the net round.

Saturday night sees Bidvest Wits welcome Chippa United to Johannesburg. The Clever Boys are chasing a domestic double (they are second on the league log, just two points adrift of leaders Mamelodi Sundowns), but the Eastern Cape side has shown a turnaround in their form since Clinton Larsen took charge earlier this year and will be no easy prey.

Sunday sees the quarterfinals wrap up at the Mbombela Stadium with Kaizer Chiefs hosting Cape Town City.

The Amakhosi are desperate to end a long trophy drought (and manager Ernst Middendorp won this competition in 2006 in his first spell with the club), but the Citizens have proven hungry for cup success since their formation three years ago and would love to add the Nedbank Cup to a trophy cabinet which already includes the 2016 Telkom Knockout and 2018 MTN8.


Nedbank Cup quarterfinal fixtures

All times CAT


Saturday 30 March

Bloemfontein Celtic v Golden Arrows – 15h00

Bidvest Wits v Chippa United – 20h15


Sunday 31 March

Kaizer Chiefs v Cape Town City – 15h00