Durban City remain in the hunt for the first major piece of silverware after reaching the Nedbank Cup final with a narrow 1-0 victory over Casric Stars at Chatsworth Stadium on Saturday.
An own-goal from Siphamandla Mlilo in the sixth minute settled the cup tie in Durban, as Pitso Dladla's side booked a date with one of TS Galaxy or Milford, who face off in the other semifinal on Easter Sunday.
Durban City punch their way into the #NedbankCup final 🔥🏆#NedbankCup | #SSDiski pic.twitter.com/PbhVgW2ndb
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) April 4, 2026
The Citizens also featured in the 2018 final under their previous guise of Maritzburg United when they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Free State Stars.
Dladla took over the reins on an interim basis in February and guided his team past Upington City in the round of 16 and Golden Arrows in the quarterfinals, while Stars pulled off two giant-killing acts by beating Orlando Pirates and AmaZulu in the last two rounds.
City got off to a flying start, albeit fortuitously, after Terrence Mashego's cross was turned into his own net by Mlilo on six minutes.
Saziso Magawana nearly doubled their advantage in the 12th minute, but Wandile Mthombeni came to the Motsepe Foundation Championship leaders' rescue with a fine save at point-blank range.
Joseph Mthombeni's side had their moments to equalise, with Decide Chauke steering a header inches wide of the goal on 28 minutes and he saw his goal-bound effort blocked by Siphamandla Ncanana in the 58th minute.
Chauke was presented with another chance seven minutes later after the hosts failed to clear the lines, but he missed the target once more from inside the box.
Stars piled on the pressure in the closing stages and Chauke proved wasteful yet again as he fired wide with just Darren Keet to beat on 78 minutes.
Durban City (1) 1 (Mlilo 6' OG)
Casric Stars 0
Durban City: D. Keet, E. Jalai, S. Ncanana, M. Mkhize (F. Gcaba 46'), T. Mashego, H. Domingo (L. Sifumba 55'), B. Poggenpoel, T. Nodada, S. Maseko (S. Mahlangu 72'), J. Lwamba (B. Mokwena 72'), S. Magawana.
Casric Stars: W. Mthombeni, Z. Mtshweni, N. Ntuli, T. Lekhatla, S. Mlilo (T. Kgabane 90+1'), L. Skelem (S. Moukete 58'), M. Thikazi (T. Rakwena 66'), S. Meveni, D. Chauke, L. Makua, M. Zwane (T. Mogale 66').