Nedbank Cup Last 32 takes centre stage

by Graeme Jackson

Tuesday Feb 07, 2023. 11:04

South Africa’s Nedbank Cup sees the entry of top-flight teams as the Last 32 round gets underway this midweek, headlined by Tshwane giants Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport United.

Sundowns are the reigning Nedbank Cup champions and will find themselves in action against Richards Bay at Loftus Versfeld on Tuesday in the only all-DStv Premiership clash of this midweek block of fixtures.

The Brazilians trumped Orlando Pirates 1-0 this past weekend to rack up a 15th straight league win, with coach Rhulani Mokwena hailing his squad for the record-extending achievement.

“All credit to the players,” noted Mokwena. “To come to Orlando Stadium and beat a good team like Pirates, who were in form… Congratulations to them, and to this football club. We had to dig deep.”

Tuesday also features Marumo Gallants tackling Motsepe Foundation Championship club Magesi FC – both teams enjoyed much-needed returns to winning form this past weekend, defeating Sekhukhune United in the DStv Premiership and Venda Football Academy in the MFC respectively.

Gallants coach Raymond Mdaka was delighted to see his team claim a ‘W’ for the first time since October: “We have been rolling through a very rocky road, so to say, and sometimes we even don’t believe we’ll win a game,” he noted.

“But we want to thank the players for keeping on going and working hard. We hope and believe after getting this break, that others [results] will come.”

Wednesday brings two top flight v amateur clashes, with SuperSport United hosting fellow Tshwane club Dondol Stars at Lucas Moripe Stadium, while Sekhukhune United will welcome Liver Brothers to Peter Mokaba Stadium.

Dondol play in the ABC Motsepe League (third tier), while Liver Brothers hail from Kildare in Mpumalanga and earned promotion to the SAB League (fourth tier) midway through 2022 – both will be hoping to spring ‘David v Goliath’ style upsets.

As for SuperSport coach Gavin Hunt, this year’s Nedbank Cup presents him with a chance to join Stuart Baxter and Pitso Mosimane as the only tacticians to win the tournament three times. Hunt first won the South African FA Cup in 2004 with Moroka Swallows, and repeated the feat in 2012 at the helm of SuperSport.

Nedbank Cup midweek fixtures

All times CAT

Tuesday 7 February

19:30: Mamelodi Sundowns v Richards Bay

19:30: Marumo Gallants v Magesi FC

Wednesday 8 February

19:30: SuperSport United v Dondol Stars

19:30: Sekhukhune United v Liver Brothers