The Nedbank Cup is set to take centre stage as Marumo Gallants aim to defend their title when they take on Santos FC at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on 13 February, writes DYLAN APPOLIS.
Reigning champion
Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila made history in 2021 by winning their first major trophy with the Nedbank Cup. They edged out Chippa United 1-0 in the final at the Free State State Stadium on May 2021.
Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo’s 27th-minute goal secured a whopping R7 million in prize money for the club. Remarkably, this was in their first year of existence after buying Bidvest Wits’ Premier Soccer League status at the end of the 2019-20 season, which also subsequently earned them a spot in the Caf Confederation Cup for the first time.
However, this time around they will be competing as Marumo Gallants after the club was renamed by chairman Abram Sello.
All-time leading scorer
Former SuperSport United and Mamelodi Sundowns striker Jeremy Brockie and Namibia and Sundowns forward Peter Shalulile are the leading scorers in the event, with seven goals apiece since the Absa Cup was renamed Nedbank Cup in 2008.
Shalulile, who has been in red-hot form for the Brazilians this season, will now have the opportunity to surpass Brockie’s goal tally after the New Zealand-born striker parted ways with Sundowns to join Australian outfit Bentleigh Greens in January 2021.
Most titles
Kaizer Chiefs are the most successful club in the competition, having won it 13 times. Amakhosi have made the final 18 times since the inception of the competition back in 1971.
The closest team to Amakhosi are Soweto rivals Orlando Pirates, who have amassed eight titles from 17 appearances in the final. However, Chiefs’ last triumph in the competition came during the 2012-13 season when they defeated SuperSport United 1-0 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium under head coach Stuart Baxter.
Biggest Win
Mamelodi Sundowns set a South African scoring record after they made light work of fourth-tier Northern Cape side Powerlines FC with a 24-0 victory in the Nedbank Cup last-32 clash in 2012. The previous record was held by AmaZulu who beat Bizana Lucky Stars 16-0 in the first round in 1976 when the competition was called the
Benson & Hedges Cup.
Most clean sheets
In recent years, goalkeeper Washington Arubi has kept the most clean sheets in the competition with five from 10 appearances for four clubs. This include stints with AmaTuks, SuperSport United, Stellenbosch and Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila.
Thela Ngobeni, Oscarine Masuluke and Denis Onyango are all breathing down his neck with four clean sheets each, while Peter Leeuwenburgh, Nkosingiphile Gumede, Cyril Chibwe, Itumeleng Khune and Brighton Mhlongo have three each.
Most successful coach
Since 2008, Stuart Baxter has been the most successful coach in the Nedbank Cup, having won three titles. His first came in 2013 at Kaizer Chiefs when Bernard Parker got the only goal of the game in extra time to claim a 1-0 win over SuperSport United to deny them back-to-back trophies.
Baxter then won two more titles in back-to-back wins with SuperSport United in 2016 and 2017, beating Orlando Pirates 3-2 in the final in 2016 before guiding them past the same opponents the following campaign with a comfortable 4-1 victory at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
Oldest and youngest goalscorers
Duncan Adonis became the youngest goalscorer in the competition at the age of 18 years, eight months and 17 days when he netted a 26th-minute goal during Ubuntu Cape Town FC’s 3-2 win over AmaZulu in the round of 16 at the King Zwelithini Stadium in March 2018.
Themba Dlamini wrote his name in the history books when he became the oldest scorer at the age of 39 years, six months and 24 days when he bagged the opening goal of EC Bees FC’s 3-1 win over Mariveni United FC in the second round of the competition at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in February 2018.
