Carling Knockout Last 16 provides intriguing matchups

The Carling Knockout Last 16 will take centre-stage this weekend as the 16 topflight teams battle it out for the next piece of silverware on offer in the 2024/25 Premier Soccer League season.

The draw was seeded so that the top eight sides from last season were drawn against the bottom eight from the year before – and promoted Magesi FC – but there is still one huge tie to look forward to.

Here is a quick guide to the weekend fixtures.

AMAZULU VS STELLENBOSCH FC

Friday, 7pm – King Goodwill Zwelithini Stadium

Stellenbosch FC will be going back to Duran yet again this season for this tie. As the defending champions in the Carling Knockout there will be expectation on their shoulders, especially as Usuthu have a new coaching team with the appointment of Arthur Zwane and Vusi Vilakazi.

They will hope to hit the ground running and that homeground advantage gives them the boost they need. Stellenbosch have already played in a final in Durban this season and may still be smarting from their MTN8 loss to Orlando Pirates. They have also played CAF Confederation Cup clashes in the city. There have been 10 meetings since Stellenbosch were promoted, with AmaZulu winning four and Stellies two.

ORLANDO PIRATES VS MAGESI FC

Saturday, 3pm – Orlando Stadium

Just about as gentle a draw as Pirates could have hoped for against the newly promoted side from Limpopo, especially as it is at home. Pirates are just killing it in cup competitions having won five of their last six knockout trophies they have entered in the domestic game.

The odd one out was that penalties defeat to Richards Bay in the quarterfinals last year. Magesi will make their debut in the competition but their coach Clinton Larsen lifted the old Telkom Knockout trophy with Bloemfontein Celtic in 2012 as they defeated Mamelodi Sundowns in the final.

POLOKWANE CITY VS MARUMO GALLANTS

Saturday, 3pm – Old Peter Mokaba Stadium

This would have been a local derby last season before Gallants jumped ship from Polokwane to Bloemfontein for their return to the topflight. But these teams will know each other very well and it should be a feisty affair. Polokwane have made a decent start to the season and have match-winners, not least Oswin Appollis. Gallants have one win and three defeats in their four league games so far this season.

MAMELODI SUNDOWNS VS LAMONTVILLE GOLDEN ARROWS

Saturday, 6pm – Lucas Moripe Stadium

Sundowns have a home clash against Golden Arrows and a not so secret weapon in the form of assistant coach Steve Komphela, who led Arrows last season, with it being much the same squad. Arrows coach Mabhuti Khenyeza is a former Sundowns player, adding to the intrigue. Arrows’ last victory over the Brazilians came in 2019 and since then Sundowns have won seven and drawn five of their fixtures against Abafana Bes’thende. That includes a 6-0 thrashing in April 2022 and a 4-0 win in August 2023. Arrows last won away at Sundowns in 2017.

SUPERSPORT UNITED VS KAIZER CHIEFS

Saturday, 8pm – Peter Mokaba Stadium

The teams meet twice in the space of seven days as Gavin Hunt goes up against his former employers where things did not work out well. After Saturday’s fixture they clash again in the league a week later. Both clubs might look at this as a tough draw and one they would have preferred to avoid.

The last six meetings between the sides have ended in three wins each, with all of those victories by a single goal margin, so there is not much to choose between them. With Chiefs desperate to win a trophy, their first since 2015, this is a tough start but perhaps represents their best chance this season with only four wins (outright or via penalties) needed.

CAPE TOWN CITY VS ROYAL AM

Saturday, 8pm – Athlone Stadium

These two sides have already met in the league this season as Royal AM snatched a late draw on the opening day of the Betway Premiership campaign. These two sides also have a recent cup history, Royal AM knocked City out on penalties in a Nedbank Cup clash in 2023.

In five visits to Cape Town, Royal AM have a win and two draws, so they have troubled their hosts in the past. But with a squad that is depleted every year by exits and no chance to sign players under their Fifa ban, things are getting tougher for coach John Maduka.

TS GALAXY VS CHIPPA UNITED

Sunday, 3pm – Mbombela Stadium

A long journey for Chippa to the Mpumalanga province in a repeat of the quarterfinals last season when Galaxy came out on top and made it all the way to the Carling Knockout final. There they lost to Stellenbosch on penalties, and will be hopeful of going one better this time round, despite a poor start to the season that has seen them lose their opening four matches in the league and MTN8.

Chippa have already recorded a home win over Galaxy with a 2-1 success in their last outing before the international break, and have taken seven points from a possible nine in their last three league games.

RICHARDS BAY VS SEKHUKHUNE UNITED

Sunday, 3pm – King Goodwill Zwelithini Stadium

These two sides also meet at the end of the month in the league. Richards Bay made the Carling Knockout semifinals last season after knocking out Orlando Pirates via penalties, the only team so far in two-and-a-bit seasons to stop Jose Riveiro winning a domestic cup trophy.

Sekhukhune are already out of the CAF Confederation Cup and lost in the quarterfinals of the MTN8. This match also sees Richards Bay coach Brandon Truter take on his former club. There has been so much change at Sekhukhune though, it is debatable how much of an advantage that is. The six previous clashes between the sides have seen two wins each and two draws.