PIC:  Tshegofatso Mabasa from Orlando Pirates leads the Golden Boot race

The completion of the Nedbank Cup Last 16 on Sunday means we can look back at the round and take stock of the numbers behind the eight games played.   

0 – There have still been no penalty shoot-outs in the 2025 Nedbank Cup, a rarity for the competition. After none in the Last 32, two of the second round games went to extra-time, but neither needed spot-kicks as SuperSport United edged Cape Town Spurs 2-1 and Durban City defeated TS Galaxy by the same scoreline. The Nedbank Cup season with the fewest shoot-outs to date was 2011 when there were two. 

1 – Durban City are the only team from outside of the Betway Premiership to have advanced to the quarterfinals. It is a round they last reached in 2018 when, as Maritzburg United, they went all the way to the final before losing to Free State Stars.

1 – Stellenbosch FC are the only one of the quarterfinalists who have yet to reach the Nedbank Cup final. They came close in the last two years when they were knocked out in the semifinals, first on penalties by eventual runners-up Sekhukhune United in 2023 and then by Mamelodi Sundowns (1-2) last year. 

2 – Durban City (2-1 vs TS Galaxy) and SuperSport United (2-1 vs Cape Town Spurs) both came from behind to win their ties. The other six victors all hit the front and stayed there. 

4 – Tshegofatso Mabasa’s hat-trick for Orlando Pirates against Baroka FC was the second in this year’s competition after Sandile Mthethwa for AmaZulu against Mighty Eagles. Mabasa leads the Golden Boot race with four goals in all. 

5 – There are five former Nedbank Cup champions remaining in the quarterfinals – Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates, SuperSport United, Kaizer Chiefs and Marumo Gallants. Sekhukhune United, Stellenbosch FC and Durban City are aiming for a maiden win. 

7 – Seven of the eight Last 16 ties were won by the home side. Only Sekhukhune United bucked the trend with their 2-1 away victory at second-tier Milford FC. 

8 – TS Galaxy are the leading scorers in the competition with eight goals but have bowed out with their loss to Durban City in the Last 16. Their 7-0 victory over Vasco da Gama remains the biggest win so far in 2025.   

21 – There were 21 goals scored in the Last 16, short of the all-time record for this stage of the competition of 29 in 2008. Only four of the 16 clubs failed to find the back of the net, with Kaizer Chiefs’ 3-0 success against Chippa United the biggest win.

70 – In all there have been 70 goals scored in the Nedbank Cup this year, two more than at the same stage last year, though from one fewer fixture. Those goals have come from 23 matches to date, a very healthy average of 3.04 per game.