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Safa teams seek to keep up excellent record in Nedbank Cup

football08 February 2023 06:52| © SuperSport
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Thapelo Maseko © Gallo Images

As the first of the amateur sides in the 2023 Nedbank Cup take to the field on Wednesday, there is the opportunity for two major upsets in the last 32.

Third-tier Dondol Stars travel to SuperSport United and fourth-tier Liver Brothers go to Sekhukhune United, each dreaming of an upset win.

There have certainly been instances in recent years, with an incredible four teams from the third and fourth-tiers on South African football reaching the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup in the previous two editions in which they entered.

It is a joint record and shows a narrowing of the gap between the amateur ranks and the top two professional divisions in South Africa.

It used to be a case that top flight teams would fancy themselves to brush aside teams from the Safa structures, but that is certainly no longer the case.

At least one amateur team has reached the last 16 in every year the Nedbank Cup has been played, bar 2021 when the Covid-19 pandemic meant football was stopped at that level and so no teams entered.

And it will be the case again in 2023, with Limpopo side Mpheni Home Defenders having been drawn against fellow ABC Motsepe League outfit Clarewood JPM, who hail from Cape Town.

There are others that will fancy their chances too, FC Blackcross are at home to second-tier Venda Football Academy, while Mkhambathi host Casric Stars.

The other four lower league teams in the last 32 all have DStv Premiership opposition, though that is the chance for some real giant-killing acts.

Amavarara, who appeared at this stage three years ago, take on 2019 winners TS Galaxy, while Northern Cape’s Tornado FC must go to Durban to face AmaZulu.

Last year, four teams from the Safa structures made it through the opening stage.

Summerfield Dynamos defeated second-tier Uthongathi, while Sinenkani FC ousted 2018 winners Free State Stars.

The other two third-tier sides into the last 16 earned their spot with wins over sides from the same level, as Black Eagles edged FC Sivutsa and Mathaithai won away at NC Pros.

It matches the record number set in 2020 when four teams from the amateur ranks also advanced from the last 32 – Hungry Lions, Happy Wanderers, Vaal University of Technology and Amavarara.

It is double the previous record of two teams, which occurred on four occasions, while just one side has advanced in eight of the previous seasons.

The recent improvement says much about the level of players and coaching in the ABC Motsepe League, which is clearly improving and starting to catch up on the professional ranks.

Of the 24 third or fourth-tier sides to reach the second round since 2008, there have been no repeat performances while they were still in the amateur ranks.

Baroka FC famously did it in 2011 when they beat Moroka Swallows and Kaizer Chiefs, but they did not return to the last 16 stage until they were in the second tier.

The same goes for the likes of Maluti FET College, who would appear again in the last 16 two years after they stunned Orlando Pirates 4-1. But by then they were also a second-tier club.

That is a statistic that Amavarara can change after they were in the last 16 in 2020. But they need to get past Galaxy first.

SAFA TEAMS TO REACH THE NEDBANK CUP LAST 16

2022: 4 - Summerfield Dynamos, Sinenkani FC, Mathaithai, Black Eagles
2021: 0*
2020: 4 - Hungry Lions, Happy Wanderers, Vaal University of Technology, Amavarara
2019: 1 – The Magic
2018: 2 – EC Bees, Steenberg United
2017: 2 – Acornbush United, Kwadukuza United
2016: 1 – Magesi FC
2015: 1 – Natal United
2014: 1 – Buffalo FC
2013: 2 – Tembu Royals, Maluti FET College
2012: 1 – Roses United
2011: 2 – BTX Liverpool, Baroka FC
2010: 1 – ALS Puk Tawana
2009: 1 – Peace Lovers
2008: 1 – Matatiele Professionals
* There were no teams from the SAFA structures in the competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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