Leopards, Wits open last 16 of the Nedbank Cup

The meeting of Black Leopards and Bidvest Wits at the Thohoyandou Stadium on Wednesday evening will open the last 16 round of the 2019 Nedbank Cup.

Kick-off is set for 7.30pm.

Leopards earned their spot in the second round thanks to a penalty shootout win over Orlando Pirates late last month. The Limpopo side held the Buccaneers 1-1 at home after extra time before claiming victory 5-4 in the spot kicks.

Lidoda Duvha come into the match on something of a lean run, having failed to claim an outright victory in any of their last four matches across all competitions. They were last in action on Wednesday last week, suffering a 3-0 league loss away to Mamelodi Sundowns.

Wits, meanwhile, secured their place in the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup by defeating minnows Boyne Tigers 4-0 at home. The Johannesburg side scored all four goals before the half hour mark and then coasted for the rest of the game, much to the annoyance of coach Gavin Hunt.

The Clever Boys also come into this clash on the back of a defeat, succumbing 2-1 away to Highlands Park in a league clash this past Saturday. It was their first away loss of the league season, though they remain well placed at the top of the log.

In head-to-head terms, Leopards and Wits have met in just one previous knockout match: a Coca-Cola Cup first round clash way back in 2003/04 which Wits won 1-0 in the Limpopo province. Of more relevance is the Clever Boys’ 1-0 victory at Thohoyandou Stadium in the teams’ most recent clash back in December 2018, with Frank Mhango scoring a late winner.

Overall, Leopards and Wits have met in 18 league and cup matches since 2001/02. The Clever Boys have claimed 10 wins compared to four for Lidoda Duvha, while four games have been drawn.

Black Leopards key players

Mwape Musonda – Leopards’ leading scorer was guilty of missing chances against Sundowns last week and will be eager to return to form when Wits come to the Thohoyandou Stadium. If the Zambian finds his peak form, then a place in the quarterfinals is not beyond reach for Lidoda Duvha.

King Ndlovu – The goalkeeper could be a key figure for Leopards, with Wits usually happy to strike for goal from all angles. Ndlovu may also have the chance to make himself a hero should the match go all the way to penalties, much as their clash against Pirates in the previous round did.

Bidvest Wits key players

Simon Murray – The Scottish forward netted two goals in Wits’ win in the previous round of the Nedbank Cup and he’ll hope to have another start when they take on Leopards in Thohoyandou. Murray’s clever movement off the ball and knack for finding space in the penalty area makes him a dangerman for the hosts to keep an eye on.

Thulani Hlatshwayo – With Wits having stuttered in the league this past weekend, they will be determined to bounce back and make a statement in this cup clash. To that end, leadership from their experienced players, especially captain Thulani Hlatshwayo, will be absolutely pivotal as they seek a victory in the Limpopo province.