The return of the Carling Knockout this weekend provides topflight teams with a second chance at silverware this season after Orlando Pirates claimed the MTN8 earlier this month.
South Africa’s League Cup returned to the football calendar in 2023 after a four year hiatus but has been played since 1982. We look at the numbers behind the tournament.
1 – Orlando Pirates have appeared in nine finals of the Carling Knockout in its various guises down the years but won just once – a 3-1 success against BidVest Wits in 2011.
1 – The first match of the 2024 Carling Knockout will be played this Friday when Arthur Zwane and Vusi Vilakazi debut as co-coaches for AmaZulu against defending champions Stellenbosch FC.
1 – Magesi FC will make their debut in this year’s competition, but their coach is a former winner. Clinton Larsen led Bloemfontein Celtic to the 2012 title when they beat Mamelodi Sundowns in the final.
4 – There are four stages in the competition – first round, quarterfinals, semifinals and final. In the first round, there are seeded teams whereby the eight sides who finished in the top half of last year’s DStv Premiership have been drawn against the seven from the bottom half, and promoted Magesi FC.
5 – The biggest final win in the competition’s history came as Kaizer Chiefs defeated Jomo Cosmos 5-0 in 2001.
6 – The winners of the Carling Knockout will play a select team called the All Stars in an exhibition game in December. Last year Stellenbosch FC lost 2-1 to the All Stars, who were coached by Orlando Pirates tactician Jose Riveiro.
10 – Isaac Shai scored 10 goals in the competition for Mamelodi Sundowns, making him their leading scorer down the years.
13 – Kaizer Chiefs are the most successful side in the competition’s history with 13 wins since it was first played in 1982. Chiefs’ last victory was back in 2010 though. Mamelodi Sundowns have the next most wins with four.
17 – Kaizer Chiefs have appeared in the most Carling Knockout finals with 17. Their 13 victories means they have a win ratio of 77 per cent, or basically three out of four.
18 – There have been 18 different winners of the Carling Knockout down the years, a healthy spread of victors. In the 11 competitions played since 2010, there have been 10 different winners. Only Mamelodi Sundowns have lifted the trophy twice in that time.
21 – The final of the Carling Knockout will be played on December 21 at Orland Stadium.
41 – Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates have each won the most matches in the Carling Knockout in the PSL era with 41. But narrowly behind them Mamelodi Sundowns, who have 40 victories.
100 – The only club with a 100 per cent win ratio from more than one final appearance is Umtata Bush Bucks, who lifted the trophy in 1993 and 1996.
6 850 000 – The winners of this year’s tournament will walk away with R6.85-million rand. Not a bad pay day, though not quite the richest knockout prize in South African knockout football, which is the MTN8 with R10-million.