Sundowns, Gallants set for epic Nedbank Cup final

Mamelodi Sundowns will tackle holders Marumo Gallants in the final of the 2022 Nedbank Cup that will be played at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace on Saturday.

Sundowns are chasing a domestic treble, while Gallants are seeking back-to-back Nedbank Cup titles that would massively boost their profile in the local game.

The Brazilians will be favourites for the trophy, but never discount any side that is coached by Dan Malesela and Gallants will have a plan to counter their threat.

Here are 11 key stats going into this seasons grand finale.

UNBEATEN RUNS

Both finalists are on an excellent run without outright defeat in the Nedbank Cup, so unless the decider ends in a draw, something has to give. Sundowns have not lost outright since a last-32 defeat at the hands of Chippa United in 2019 – a run of 13 games without defeat. They were ousted in the semifinals by TTM (now Gallants) in 2021, but that match finished in a 0-0 draw. No side has ever gone as many games without defeat in the Nedbank Cup. Gallants’ last defeat was also in 2019 and also against Chippa. Since then they have gone nine games without a loss. They have kept a clean-sheet in seven of those nine matches.

THEIR RECORD

The two sides have met on five separate occasions, including in that 2021 semifinal, with Gallants yet to post a victory, but also holding their own. Three of the five games having ended in draws, including their first ever in the league in October 2020 (0-0). The Nedbank Cup semi last year also ended 0-0, while their most recent clash in the league this season ended 1-1 in December. But the other two games were won emphatically by Sundowns, both in Limpopo, as they claimed 3-1 and 4-0 successes. Sundowns have had seven different scorers in their eight goals, with only Peter Shalulile (who else?) managing to score twice against Gallants.

SHARP SHOOTERS

Sede Dion (Marumo Gallants), Wonderboy Makhubu (University of Pretoria) and Pavol Safranko (Mamelodi Sundowns) head the 2022 Nedbank Cup scorers’ charts going into the final with three goals each. It means the Golden Boot is very much up for grabs, though Safranko faces a race against time to be fit. He missed Monday’s win over Royal AM through illness. Dion has also had injury troubles in recent weeks but came off the bench for Gallants in their 2-2 league draw with Sekhukhune United at the weekend. A trio of Sundowns players all have two goals in the competition this season, namely Kermit Erasmus, Thabiso Kutumela and Surprise Ralani.

FINAL APPEARANCES

Gallants are hoping to become the first back-to-back winners of the Nedbank Cup since SuperSport United defeated Orlando Pirates in both the 2016 (3-2) and 2017 (4-1) finals. They are the first side to reach successive finals since those two clubs. These are in fact the last two champions, with Sundowns lifting the trophy in 2020 and Gallants in 2021. Sundowns have reached a fifth Nedbank Cup final, a record since 2008, after wins in the inaugural year, 2015 and two years ago. They also lost in 2012. They have five titles overall in the FA Cup, having also claimed success in 1986 and 1998. Those five wins have come from 10 previous final appearances. A sixth victory for Sundowns would take them outright third in the all-time table, behind Kaizer Chiefs (13) and Pirates (8). Currently they share that third spot with SuperSport United and Moroka Swallows on five wins.

MAN FOR THE BIG OCCASION

Sundowns striker Kermit Erasmus heads the list of scorers in Nedbank Cup finals since 2008, though none have come with his present club. Erasmus netted for SuperSport United as they defeated Sundowns in the 2012 final, and then bagged two for Orlando Pirates in their 3-1 victory over BidVest Wits in 2014. No-one has netted as many, with the only other players to have scored multiple final goals being Jeremy Brockie (SuperSport United), Bradley Grobler (SuperSport United), Thulasizwe Mbuyane (Orlando Pirates), Sifiso Vilakazi (BidVest Wits)

BACK FOR MORE

Only Stuart Baxter (three times) and Pitso Mosimane (two) have claimed the Nedbank Cup title as a coach more than once since 2008, but that could change in this year’s final as Gallants’ Dan Malesela seeks a second title in four years. Malesela took second-tier TS Galaxy to an unlikely 2019 final triumph over Kaizer Chiefs and has now returned for more in the colours of Gallants. In the entire history of the FA Cup, Baxter and Mosimane share top spot with three wins each, while there is a fairly exclusive list of coaches with two wins each that includes the likes of Ted Dumitru, Gavin Hunt, Eddie Lewis and Muhsin Ertugral. Malesela would be the 13th coach to claim multiple wins.

MOST USED

Left-sided utility man Aubrey Modiba has played the most minutes for Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup this season with 270, having featured in three of their four games to date. The Sundowns co-coaches have used the competition to rotate their squad and have in fact used a massive 31 players in their ties so far, including four different goalkeepers. Two players have featured in every minute of the campaign to date for Gallants – midfielders Lebohang Mabotja and Miguel Timm, who have both racked up 390 minutes. By contrast, Gallants have only used 21 different players in their four games so far.

GOALS GALORE FOR SUNDOWNS

Sundowns have netted an incredible 17 goals in their four Nedbank Cup ties so far this season, more than four per game. That follows wins over Richards Bay (4-0), Mathaithai FC (6-0), Summerfield Dynamos (5-0) and Royal AM (2-1). Gallants have a more modest six goals after they took on Santos FC (2-0), Orlando Pirates (1-1), Baroka FC (1-0) and TTM (1-0). Both sides have conceded just once in their four games.

IN SIGHT OF A RECORD

Prolific striker Peter Shalulile has eight goals in the Nedbank Cup, three for Highlands Park and five for Sundowns, which has put him in striking distance of the record since 2008. That is currently held by ex-Sundowns midfielder Hlompho Kekana, who scored 11 goals, so Shalulile would need a hattrick in the final to match him. Given he has already scored two hattricks in the last few months, and netted twice against Gallants in November, you would not bet against him.

BACK IN AFRICA

No matter what happens in Saturday’s final, Gallants will represent South Africa in the Caf Confederation Cup next season. That is because opponents Sundowns have qualified for the Caf Champions League through their title victory in the DStv Premiership. It means it will be a second season in succession that the Limpopo side have ventured onto the continent, having come so close to the group stages of this year’s competition. They defeated Futuro Kings from Equatorial Guinea in the preliminary stage, before stunning DR Congo giants AS Vita Club. That set up a meeting with another Congolese side in TP Mazembe, and they were narrow 1-0 losers on aggregate. Mazembe went on to reach the semifinals this season.

THE STAGE IS SET

The Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace will host the Nedbank Cup final for the first time since 2008, becoming the 11th different venue to stage the decider. It is not the first time the final of South Africa’s FA Cup will be hosted in the North West though, SuperSport United defeated Wits University 1-0 at Rustenburg’s Olympia Park in 2005.