The Nedbank Cup semifinals take centre-stage this weekend with two tasty ties as Kaizer Chiefs host Orlando Pirates in a Soweto Derby on Saturday (kick-off 15h00) and Stellenbosch FC welcome Sekhukhune United to the Danie Craven Stadium on Sunday (18h00).
We round up the numbers on the two fixtures.
0 – Stellenbosch have yet to record a win over Sekhukhune in four previous meetings. The latter have one victory, secured at Stellies earlier this season, while the other three games all ended in draws.
0 – Stellenbosch have never met a team from outside of the DStv Premiership in the Nedbank Cup before. This continues that trend in their 10th tie.
1 – Both Stellenbosch and Sekhukhune are appearing in the Nedbank Cup semifinals for the first time. Neither had been past the second round of the competition before this season.
2 – Rodrick Kabwe, Vusimuzi Mncube and Chibuike Ohizu are the leading scorers for Sekhukhune United in the Nedbank Cup with two each, and all of their goals have come in 2023.
3 – When Pirates clashed with Chiefs in the semifinals of what was then the Bob Save Super Bowel in 1996, Jerry Sikhosana netted a hattrick to lead The Buccaneers to a thumping 4-1 win. That was the last ‘treble’ scored in any Soweto Derby.
6 – Sekhukhune have had the biggest win in the Nedbank Cup this season following their 6-0 demolition of fourth-tier Liver Brothers in the Last 32.
6 – Stellenbosch forward Iqraam Rayners in the leading scorer in the 2023 Nedbank Cup to date with six goals in three games. He has scored a brace in every round against Swallows FC, TS Galaxy and Mamelodi Sundowns. He has nine goals in 10 Nedbank Cup games through his career and is also Stellies’ all-time leading scorer in the competition with seven goals. No other player has scored more than once in the competition for the club.
6 – Kaizer Chiefs are going for a sixth victory in a row over Orlando Pirates, something they have not managed since 1991-1992. It is also a record for either team.
7 – Chiefs and Pirates have clashed in the semifinals of South Africa’s FA Cup on seven previous occasions, though not since 1996. Chiefs have won four of those clashes versus two victories for Pirates and a single draw.
20 – Chiefs and Pirates have met in South Africa’s FA Cup on 20 previous occasions, the previous clash in the Last 32 in 2016. Chiefs have won nine of those ties to go with six wins for Pirates and five draws. The AmaKhosi have scored 22 goals to Pirates’ 21.
32 – Stellenbosch have seen a high number of goals scored in their Nedbank Cup ties to date. There have been 32 netted (17 for, 15 against) in nine previous fixtures, an average of well over three per game. They are also the leading scorers in this year’s competition with 11 goals.
177 – The number of meetings overall between Chiefs and Pirates since their first in 1970. Chiefs have 74 wins to go with 44 for Pirates, 65 draws and five games abandoned. Chiefs have netted 227 goals to Pirates’ 190.
2013 – The last time Chiefs won the Nedbank Cup as they defeated SuperSport United 1-0 in the final after extra time. Bernard Parker scored the winner.
2014 – The last time Pirates won the Nedbank Cup as Kermit Erasmus scored two goals in a 3-1 success over BidVest Wits. Erasmus is back at Pirates for a second spell.
2015 – Sekhukhune striker Tashreeq Morris scored a 90th minute winner for Ajax Cape Town over SuperSport United in the 2015 Nedbank Cup semifinals. He has already netted this season with a goal against Liver Brothers.
