Between them, Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs have been knocked out of the Nedbank Cup by lower league opponents seven times since 2008, though six of those have seen the AmaKhosi shocked, the most of any club over the last 15 years. Catch the Nedbank Cup action live on SuperSport and Showmax Pro. Highlights, post-match interviews will be available on the SuperSport app at fulltime.
In fact, almost half Chiefs’ losses in the competition have come to second-tier, or even third-tier opponents, who are clearly fired up for the challenge of taking on The Glamour Boys.
Pirates have mostly been able to weather the storm, bar a particularly famous loss that is one of the biggest ever in South African football.
Here are their combined defeats to lower league teams.
2009: UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA 4-3 KAIZER CHIEFS
AmaTuks would go all the way to the final with their side of emerging stars, that included Andile Jali, Aubrey Ngoma, Manti Mekoe, Thabang Monare and Mthokozisi Yende.
Most would go on to have stellar careers but were young guns under rookie coach Steve Barker looking for a big scalp when they came up against Chiefs in the second round in 2009.
Yende gave AmaTuks the lead, but Josta Dladla equalised for Chiefs, who then took the lead through Jose Torrealba.
Phenyo Mongala and Thabo Moleko scored in quick succession to put the home side back in front, but Chiefs levelled again through a Siphiwe Tshabalala penalty. The game looked to be heading for extra-time before Mongala came up with a second to seal the win.
2010: FC CAPE TOWN 2-0 KAIZER CHIEFS
The very next season Chiefs went out again to second-tier opposition in the second round, this time undone by the now defunct FC Cape Town.
A young Lyle Lakay gave the Mother City club the lead, back in the days when he was a tearaway winger, before the Cameroonian Samuel Eboule Bille added a second after the break.
Chiefs had won the Telkom Knockout a few months earlier, so this was a big shock as they chased another piece of silverware.
2011: BAROKA FC 2-1 KAIZER CHIEFS
Worse was to follow for Chiefs the following season as they lost to third-tier opposition for the first, and still only, time in their history.
Baroka FC had already beaten topflight Moroka Swallows in the previous round, but nobody expected them to repeat the feat against Chiefs.
That was especially so when Knowledge Musona gave the AmaKhosi the lead after 36 minutes, but the minnows were able to turn the tables as Sam Ndlovu headed home a corner and then Thobani Mncwango got the winner in the final minute.
Many of the Baroka players would go on to have good careers in the topflight, including Mncwango, Phalane Lantshene, Thabiso Nkoana and Katlego Mashego.
2013: MALUTI FET COLLEGE 4-1 ORLANDO PIRATES
Third-tier Maluti FET College were ahead in just 47 seconds, Lucky Mokoena collecting a pass to score his first of the afternoon.
Mashale Rantabane made it two when he headed home a free-kick, before Mokoena got his second with a looping header over Senzo Meyiwa to leave The Buccaneers stunned.
And Mokoena had a chance for the hat-trick when the home side were awarded a penalty, but he could not get power in his shot and the opportunity was wasted.
Pirates midfielder Oupa Manyisa pulled a goal back from Happy Jele’s square-ball, but Rantabane headed home with nine minutes remaining to secure a famous result.
Maluti proved the result was no fluke by winning promotion to the National First Division at the end of the season, though they have since faded.
2015: KAIZER CHIEFS 1-2 BLACK LEOPARDS
Chiefs were thumping all before them as they breezed to the league title, but came unstuck in the second round of the Nedbank Cup against second-tier Black Leopards, although they were not helped by some shocking refereeing decisions.
Morgan Shivambu put Leopards in front, but Willard Katsande equalised 11 minutes from time. But the red-hot Roggert Nyundu grabbed a winner in the last minute to send the Limpopo side through.
Chiefs were denied a blatant penalty when Mandla Masaongo was brought down in the box, but referee Daniel Bennett waved play=on and then sent coach Stuart Baxter to the stands for his protests.
2019: KAZIER CHIEFS 0-1 TS GALAXY
Second-tier TS Galaxy were on an incredible run under coach Dan Malesela and made it all the way to the Nedbank Cup final, where Chiefs stood in their way.
The AmaKhosi largely dominated the decider in Durban but could not make their pressure pay, and were then stunned when Galaxy were awarded a penalty in the final minute.
Chiefs defender Teenage Hadebe upended Galaxy striker Zakhele Lepasa in the box and the latter stepped up to take the spot-kick himself and secure a first ever victory for a second-tier side in the Nedbank Cup.
2021: RICHARDS BAY 2-1 KAIZER CHIEFS
One of the final nails in the coffin of then Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt came when his side lost to second-tier Richards Bay in the Last 32 in 2021.
Richards Bay took the lead through Thabani Dube, who was an ever-present when Galaxy lifted the Nedbank Cup in 2019. He would be signed by Chiefs at the end of the 2020/21 campaign.
The AmaKhosi equalised thanks to their Colombian forward Leonardo Castro with 14 minutes to play, but the home side found a dramatic winner when veteran forward Siyabonga Vilane scored in injury-time at the end of the game.
Hunt lasted a few more months, but it was a result he termed “embarrassing” after the fact.