Nedbank Cup explained: the release driving the conversation

This year’s Nedbank Cup final between Durban City and TS Galaxy in Polokwane on Saturday will be the 19th time the decider has been played since Nedbank took over sponsorship of the competition in 2008. Nedbank Cup has emerged this Friday as one of the stories drawing attention in South Africa.

Key facts

• This year’s Nedbank Cup final between Durban City and TS Galaxy in Polokwane on Saturday will be the 19th time the decider has been played since Nedbank took over sponsorship of the competition in 2008.
• The final of the 2010 Nedbank Cup was played at the magnificent new Soccer City, the first competitive fixture to be hosted at the iconic venue that months later would stage the FIFA World Cup final.
• The 2011 Nedbank Cup will forever be remembered for the run of then third-tier side Baroka FC to the semifinals, but it was Orlando Pirates who lifted the trophy.
• Kaizer Chiefs claimed the 2013 Nedbank Cup with a narrow 1-0 victory over defending champions SuperSport United in the final, Bernard Parker, now coach of TS Galaxy, grabbing the only goal in extra-time.
• The biggest shock of the tournament came when third-tier Maluti FET College from the Free State thumped Orlando Pirates 4-1 in the Last 32, arguably the biggest upset in the history of the Nedbank Cup competition.

What we know

Going deeper, the final of the 2010 Nedbank Cup was played at the magnificent new Soccer City, the first competitive fixture to be hosted at the iconic venue that months later would stage the FIFA World Cup final.

On the substance, the 2011 Nedbank Cup will forever be remembered for the run of then third-tier side Baroka FC to the semifinals, but it was Orlando Pirates who lifted the trophy.

Beyond the headlines, Kaizer Chiefs claimed the 2013 Nedbank Cup with a narrow 1-0 victory over defending champions SuperSport United in the final, Bernard Parker, now coach of TS Galaxy, grabbing the only goal in extra-time.

More precisely, the biggest shock of the tournament came when third-tier Maluti FET College from the Free State thumped Orlando Pirates 4-1 in the Last 32, arguably the biggest upset in the history of the Nedbank Cup competition.

It is worth noting that Orlando Pirates made up for their bitter disappointment the year before by claiming the Nedbank Cup in 2014 after beating BidVest Wits 3-1 in the final.

By the numbers

At this stage, SuperSport United claimed their second Nedbank Cup title in four years when they defeated Orlando Pirates 3-2 in a pulsating final played at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.

On a related note, SuperSport United became the first, and to date only, side to win back-to-back Nedbank Cup titles as they again defeated Orlando Pirates in the decider, this time thumping The Buccaneers 4-1 in the final played in Durban.

Going deeper, Free State Stars made history when they lifted the Nedbank Cup for the first time, beating fellow surprise finalists Maritzburg United 1-0 in a dazzling decider at the Cape Town Stadium.

On the substance, Second-tier TS Galaxy shocked South African football as they became the first club from outside the top-flight to lift the Nedbank Cup trophy, defeating fancied Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 in the decider in Durban.

What they're saying

“If you look at the previous round in this competition, our character as a team has been tested, and we’ve been able to come out victorious,” Dladla said as per the Sowetan.

“We’ve been involved in a penalty shootout three times, and we managed to get through,” he explained.

“For us, we don’t want to look too much at the two league games that we’ve played and then think about them,” Dladla insisted.

The wider context

On a related note, a season like no other that had a five-month pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Nedbank Cup final finally took place on September 12, some 220 days after the start of the competition.

Going deeper, Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM), who would later be rebranded Marumo Gallants, were surprise Nedbank Cup winners under coach Dylan Kerr as they defeated Chippa United 1-0 in the decider.

On the substance, Mamelodi Sundowns regained the Nedbank Cup title by defeating holders Marumo Gallants 2-1 after extra-time in the decider at the Free State Stadium.

Beyond the headlines, Buccaneers coach Jose Riveiro became the first coach since Stuart Baxter (2016 &2017) to retain the Nedbank Cup title, but Pirates fell behind to a goal from Themba Zwane on 54 minutes.

More precisely, Pirates levelled with a little under 20 minutes to go when Patrick Maswanganyi converted a penalty, and then grabbed the winner four minutes into injury-time with a lovely winner from teenager Relebohile Mofokeng, who was 19 at the time and the youngest scorer in a Nedbank Cup decider.

The bottom line

• The final of the 2010 Nedbank Cup was played at the magnificent new Soccer City, the first competitive fixture to be hosted at the iconic venue that months later would stage the FIFA World Cup final.
• The 2011 Nedbank Cup will forever be remembered for the run of then third-tier side Baroka FC to the semifinals, but it was Orlando Pirates who lifted the trophy.
• The biggest shock of the tournament came when third-tier Maluti FET College from the Free State thumped Orlando Pirates 4-1 in the Last 32, arguably the biggest upset in the history of the Nedbank Cup competition.
• Searches spiking right now: Sports video, fixtures, results and news, Nedbank Cup final: Durban City on a quest to end KwaZulu-Natal's 17-year trophy drought, Sparks expected to fly as Galaxy and City aim to rewrite Nedbank Cup history, Pressure cooker at Loftus: Mamelodi Sundowns aim to stretch lead as Orlando Pirates’ title hopes teeter.