Winners & Losers – Nedbank Cup Last 32

46 goals have been scored so far, at 3.3 goals per game, worth 53 goals when extrapolated over the whole Last 32 stage. The PSL record is 69 in 16 games (1998/99), while last season saw 40 goals at this stage.

There is one more game scheduled for tonight, but it would take 23 goals to set a new record. Record or not, there are many other interesting insights from this round. Winners & Losers is a weekly statistical review of the weekend action.

Winners

Orlando Pirates

Orlando Pirates are looking to complete the three-peat, having won this title in 2023 and 2024. The only other team to do a three-peat before was the Pirates exactly 50 years ago (1973, 1974, 1975), so if it was part of the objective, they have started that mission well.

Pirates have now won eight consecutive Nedbank Cup games under Jose Riveiro (in regulation time). Including drawn matches (not won before a shootout), the record is even more impressive:

13 – Pirates are unbeaten in 13 Nedbank Cup games (W1 D1 under Ncikazi/Davids & W10 D1 under Riveiro)

Kaizer Chiefs

A big win ahead of the Soweto derby would have done wonders for their confidence. The 4-0 win is the joint-biggest winning margin in the competition so far, alongside AmaZulu 5-1 Eagles. For Chiefs, it’s been a decade since they won by such a margin.

2015 – This was Chiefs’ biggest win in this competition since the same stage in 2015 (4-0 v Edu Sports).

SuperSport United finally progressing

Since Gavin Hunt rejoined the club, SuperSport had been knocked out in the first round in 6 of the last 7 domestic competitions. This was a welcome result in many ways.

2023 – This is the first time SuperSport have won back-to-back away games since November 2023.

AmaZulu

AmaZulu scored five goals after conceding five in the previous game to a team that had conceded five in their previous game. Go figure.

Sandile Mthethwa

His first start brings a hat-trick, a Man of the Match award, and progress into the next round for his team.

5 – Mthethwa is the fifth AmaZulu player to grab a hat-trick in this competition (PSL-era BobSave/ABSA/ Nedbank Cups), but the first to do so since Ayanda Dlamini in March 2011 (v Real Madrid)

Mphefeni Home Defenders

Their 3-1 win over second-division Hungry Lions means they are the only remaining team from the third-division. Their coach Vhutshilo Phuravhavhu has bigger ambitions.

“Kaizer Chiefs or Orlando Pirates, we want to write our history in football,” he said after the match.

The Last 16 draw is tonight.

Losers

Cape Town City

Recent wins over Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chefs now seem like a distant memory. The Nedbank Cup was their last hope for a trophy, and even that will not be happening. In each of the last four seasons, City have been knocked out at the first stage. But they just seem to struggle away from home in Cups:

1 – Cape Town City have won just one of their last 10 away games in Cup competitions (D4 L5)

Sundowns’ Indiscipline

Sundowns have received seven red cards in all competitions this season, more than any other team. That is even more than they did throughout all of last season (6). That’s a red card every four games, compared to one every 10 games last season. No wonder Coach Cardoso has vowed to act on it.