Mixed bag in Nedbank Cup Last 16 for remaining teams

Thirteen of the 16 sides remaining in the 2024 Nedbank Cup have been to this stage before, and while some have had mixed results, for others the Last 16 has been full of success.

For three clubs, this will be their debut and the dream of a quarterfinal place remains very much in touch. They are second-tier Milford FC, who knocked out Kaizer Chiefs in the last round, and ABC Motsepe League clubs FC Ravens and D’General.

We look at the Last 16 records of the other 13 teams to see how they have fared over the years.

AMAZULU
P8 W3 D2 L3 GF14 GA11

It is been a mixed bag for Usuthu at this stage of the competition with three wins and three defeats to go with a penalty shoot-out win against Moroka Swallows in 2010 on their way to the final, which they lost to BidVest Wits. But there is also the shootout defeat by third-tier Dondol Stars last season that must still weigh heavy on them. Their victories came against second-tier sides Vasco da Gama (2008), Carara Kicks (2011) and Witbank Spurs (2012), but since then there have been losses to Wits (2014), Ubuntu Cape Town and Black Leopards (2021).

CHIPPA UNITED
P6 W4 D0 L2 GF9 GA5

Chippa are appearing in the Last 16 for the seventh time and have had mixed results at this stage, but largely a positive record. They beat Polokwane City 2-0 in 2017, but lost 2-1 to eventual champions Free State Stars in 2018. The following year they ousted second-tier Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila with a 2-0 win. They lost 2-0 to BidVest Wits in 2020, but bounced back a year later to defeat Cape Town City 2-1. Last season they edged third-tier Mpheni Home defenders 2-0. On three of the last five occasions when they have advanced past the Last 16, they have reached the semifinals at least.

HUNGRY LIONS
P1 W0 D1 L0 GF2 GA2

Second-tier Hungry Lions’ only previous appearance at this stage was in 2020 when they came up against then-top-tier Baroka FC. The teams played to a 2-2 draw, but the Limpopo club triumphed 4-2 in the post-match penalty shoot-out. Lions were still in the ABC Motsepe League back then.

MAMELODI SUNDOWNS
P14 W11 D1 L2 GF32 GA8

Sundowns have largely had things their own way in this stage of the competition, having been knocked out just twice in their 14 fixtures. They have played Lamontville Golden Arrows three times in the Last 16, winning two of those, their one defeat coming in a 1-0 loss in 2017. Their only other exit at this stage of the competition was in 2009 at the hands of Platinum Stars. They did play to a 1-1 draw with Kaizer Chiefs the year before but triumphed 5-4 on penalties. Last year they beat Marumo Gallants 3-1 as Peter Shalulile grabbed a hattrick.

MARITZBURG UNITED
P8 W4 D1 L3 GF12 GA12

Maritzburg have advanced past this stage on five of their eight previous appearances, including wins over Santos (2-1), Lamontville Golden Arrows (1-0), third-tier Tembu Royals (3-1) and Royal Eagles (2-1), and a shootout success versus Platinum Stars in 2014. Their three defeats have all come in their last four appearances at this stage, going down to Mpumalanga Black Aces (0-2), Bloemfontein Celtic (2-3) and Orlando Pirates (1-3).

MOROKA SWALLOWS
P7 W1 D2 L4 GF10 GA11

This has not been a happy stage for Swallows, with their only outright victory since 2008 coming when they beat third-tier Peace Lovers 4-0 and went on to lift the trophy in 2009. They have been involved in two draws, but lost both on penalties to AmaZulu and TTM, while they also have outright defeats to Santos (1-3), third-tier Baroka FC (1-2), SuperSport United (0-1) and Royal AM (0-1). It has been a struggle, to say the least.

ORLANDO PIRATES
P12 W7 D1 L4 GF24 GA12

Pirates have certainly not had it all their own way in this stage of the competition with four outright defeats and a penalty shoot-out loss to go with seven wins. Those outright defeats were all by single-goal margins and came against Bloemfontein Celtic (2009), Free State Stars (2012), SuperSport United (2015) and Cape Town City (2018). They lost to Marumo Gallants last season on penalties after a 1-1 draw. By contrast, their victories have largely been emphatic, with wins over ALS Puk Tuwana (4-0), United FC (3-1), Santos (2-0), Jomo Cosmos (3-1), Free State Stars (4-1), Maritzburg United (3-1) and Venda FC (2-1).

RICHARDS BAY
P3 W1 D0 L2 GF3 GA5

This will be Richards Bay’s fourth visit to the Last 16, with a single victory under their belt so far. They lost the first two, going down 1-3 to Bloemfontein Celtic in 2018 and then 0-1 to the same opponents a year later. They ended that run with a 2-1 victory over then-fellow second-tier side TS Sporting in 2021.

SEKHUKHUNE UNITED
P1 W1 D0 L0 GF2 GA0

Sekhukhune are in the Last 16 for the second time, having debuted at this stage of the campaign last year when they went all the way to the final but lost to Orlando Pirates in the decider. They beat Cape Town Spurs 2-0 in the Last 16, a routine victory for the team with Victor Letsoalo and Rodrick Kabwe on target.

STELLENBOSCH FC
P2 W1 D0 L1 GF7 GA5

Stellenbosch have only been to the Last 16 twice before, first back in 2018, when they lost 2-1 away at Kaizer Chiefs. They returned to this stage in 2023 and took part in the most extraordinary of games as they triumphed 6-3 away at TS Galaxy. Iqraam Rayners scored a brace that day in a game that defied logic with both teams having pretty good defences.

SUPERSPORT UNITED
P8 W6 D1 L1 GF11 GA5

For a side that has three Nedbank Cup wins and a reputation as an excellent knockout team, it is amazing that SuperSport have only appeared in the Last 16 on eight previous occasions. But once they get to the second round they have been strong, with their only blemish a 1-0 loss to Free State Stars in 2011. They have beaten United FC (2012), Vasco da Gama (2013), Moroka Swallows (2014), Orlando Pirates (2015), KwaDukuza United (2017) and Platinum City Rovers (2022), while they also advanced past University of Pretoria in 2016 on post-match penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw.

TS GALAXY
P3 W1 D1 L1 GF5 GA7

Galaxy were famously Nedbank Cup winners in 2019 while still campaigning in the second tier, and along the way met Jomo Cosmos in the Last 16. They advanced 1-0 thanks to an own goal from Dahou Lebahi. They reached this stage for the second time in 2022 and after a 1-1 draw with Baroka FC, were ousted on penalties. They then suffered outright defeat in that remarkable 6-3 home loss to Stellenbosch FC in 2023.

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA
P5 W1 D3 L1 GF11 GA13

AmaTuks made it all the way to the Nedbank Cup final in 2009 as a second-tier side, and famously defeated Kaizer Chiefs at this stage of the competition in a seven goal thriller that ended 4-3 in their favour. They re-appeared at this stage the following year and defeated Jomo Cosmos on penalties after a 1-1 draw, but their next visit in 2015 ended in a 3-0 loss to BidVest Wits. They reached the Last 16 again in 2016 but exited on penalties after an excellent 3-3 draw with SuperSport United, but then ironically advanced in 2022 on penalties after also playing to a 3-3 draw with fellow second-tier side Venda FC.