City, Swallows in first cup meeting

Fagrie Lakay of Cape Town City is challenged by Kamohelo Mahlatsi of Swallows FC

Friday Aug 27, 2021. 12:00

Cape Town City and Swallows FC will have their first-ever cup meeting when they clash in the first leg of an MTN8 semifinal, scheduled for the Athlone Stadium on Sunday 29 August 2021, kick-off at 15:00 CAT.

City earned their place in the semis thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 away win over AmaZulu earlier this month, with Mduduzi Mdantsane scoring a late winner for the Cape side. The Citizens have enjoyed a fine record in this competition in recent years (champions in 2017, runners-up in 2018) and will be hoping for a return to the final in 2021.

City come into the match on the back of a midweek league win away to top-flight rookies Royal AM, coming from behind to take the game 2-1 thanks to goals from Mduduzi Mdantsane and Taariq Fielies.

Swallows, playing in the MTN8 for the first time since winning it back in 2012, made a major statement of intent in the quarterfinals when they ousted Soweto rivals Orlando Pirates 2-1 away from home, with a brace of goals from striker Ruzaigh Gamildien.

The Birds were also in action in midweek, holding AmaZulu to a 0-0 draw in Durban to continue their unbeaten start to the 2021-22 campaign.

In head-to-head terms, this will be the first cup clash between Swallows and City (with the latter club only having been formed in 2016), though they have met in two league matches.

Both encounters took place last season, with the first in Soweto ending 3-2 in favour of Swallows thanks to goals from Gamidlien and Junadi Sait, while the return game in Cape Town ended 1-1 after strikes from Mdantsane (who also scored a brace in City’s earlier defeat to the Birds) and Kgaogelo Sekgota.

The second leg of this semifinal will be held on September 29 at Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto. The aggregate winners will advance to the final to face either Golden Arrows or Mamelodi Sundowns.