MTN8 debutants - how they fared

This season’s MTN8 will have a single newcomer to the field with TS Galaxy qualifying to play in the competition for the first time.

As sixth placed finishers in the league last season, they have been drawn away against third placed Stellenbosch in the quarterfinal and will make their competition debut on Sunday at the Danie Craven Stadium.

None of the last four previous debutants have managed to win their opening game, which is an bad omen for Saed Ramovic and his players this weekend.

Here is how the past debutants have featured in the top eight competition over the last 15 years:

2023
Sekhukhune United: The Limpopo side got a rude welcome to the competition in their opening game as Orlando Pirates thrashed them 5-0, with a hat-trick for Zakhele Lepasa, although it could have been a different story had Chibuike Ohizu not squandered a penalty when the hosts were only 1-0 up.

2022
Royal AM: The KwaZulu-Natal newcomers hosted Pirates in the quarterfinal at Chatsworth and quickly went behind as Vincent Pule scored in the third minute.  Thabiso Monyane made it 2-0 before there was a consolation for Shaun Mogaila. Royal AM had Khabo Zondo and Dan Malesela as co-coaches.

Stellenbosch: Heartbreak at home for Steve Barker’s side as they went out to Kaizer Chiefs on post-match penalties after dominating the quarterfinal tie, which ended 1-1 after extra-time. Chiefs’ fans damaged the Danie Craven Stadium afterwards and all matches against AmaKhosi since have been moved to Cape Town.

2020
Tshkahhuma tsha Madzivhandila: The Venda club bought the franchise of Bidvest Wits and got the new season under way in front of a large crowd in Thohoyandou in a thriller against SuperSport United. TTM were 3-0 down at half time but two goals from Mogakolodi Ngele saw them threaten a comeback before they ran out of time.

2019
Highlands Park: The only debutants to go all the way to the final at the first attempt, they started with a 1-0 shock win at Pirates in the last eight. Owen da Gama’s side then edged Polokwane City on post-match penalties after their two-legged semifinal tie ended without goals. In the final, they lost 1-0 to SuperSport United at the Orlando Stadium.

2017
Polokwane City: Defender Sibusiso Mbonani turned the ball into his own net for the only goal of their quarterfinal tie away against Cape Town City. Polokwane reached the semifinal two years later in 2019 and are now playing in the MTN8 for the third time when they meet Mamelodi Sundowns next week.

2016
Cape Town City: It was the second season for City, after John Comitis bought the Mpumalanga Black Aces franchise, and a MTN8 debut win over Chiefs at home after Australian journeyman Matthew Sim scored early in their quarterfinal. City then lost 3-0 on aggregate to Wits in the semifinal, with all three goals conceded in the first leg away.

Chippa United: The only participation for Chippa, then with Malesela at the helm, in the top eight started brightly with a quarterfinal win away over Platinum Stars at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace. They made a go of it in the semifinal too, beaten over two legs by a single goal from Sundowns’ Anthony Laffor.

2015
Maritzburg United: It took nine seasons before Maritzburg United eventually finished in a top eight position in the league standings and qualified for the MTN8. Their debut, which was also Mandla Ncikazi’s first game as coach, was a thriller as they went 2-0 up against Chiefs at Soccer City before losing 5-3 in extra time. It was Steve Komphela’s first game in charge at AmaKhosi.

2014
Mpumalanga Black Aces: Two goals in the first five minutes for Chiefs at Soccer City made for a horror start to Aces’ only MTN8 appearance. In the end Chiefs won 4-0 in the quarterfinal tie and would go onto win the trophy – which was the last knockout competition they won.