PIC: Life-long Orlando Pirates fan Tshigwana Mthombeni helped his Casric Stars side defeat The Buccaneers

The Last 16 of the 2026 Nedbank Cup provided plenty of upsets and tight contests as both Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns exited at this stage.

We look back at the numbers in this round and the competition to date.

0 – Durban City advanced to the quarter-finals despite not scoring a goal in this year’s Nedbank Cup. They played to a second 0-0 draw in succession against Upington City, coming through their tie on penalties for the second round in a row. In fact, their last three Nedbank Cup ties, dating back to last season, have all ended 0-0. They have only conceded one goal in five matches in the competition.

1 – Milford FC’s 3-0 win over Mkhambathi in the Last 16 was their first outright victory in the Nedbank Cup at the sixth attempt. They had previously won two ties via penalty shoot-outs, including famously beating Kaizer Chiefs in 2024, and have now reached the quarter-finals for the first time.

2 – Orlando Pirates’ exit at the hands of second-tier Casric Stars is only the second time they have been ousted by lower-league opposition in the Nedbank Cup. The other occasion was in 2013, when they lost 4-1 to ABC Motsepe League side Maluti FET College, which remains one of the great upsets in the competition’s history.

2 – AmaZulu are into the quarter-finals for only the second time since 2012. Their previous appearance was in 2024, when they lost 4-2 to Orlando Pirates. Next they host Casric Stars, who knocked Pirates out in the last round.

3 – The biggest margin of victory in the Last 16 was three goals, when Milford FC defeated KwaZulu-Natal ABC Motsepe League side Mkhambathi 3-0. The game had been level until the 67th minute, when Milford finally found the opener. It is also the joint biggest win across the first two rounds.

3 – Sekhukhune United have reached the quarter-finals for the third time in four seasons. They have also yet to concede a goal in the 2026 edition.

3 – TS Galaxy are into the quarter-finals for the third time in their history, having won on debut in 2019 as a second-tier side. They also reached the last eight in 2024 but lost at home to Chippa United. This year they host third-tier Jacksa Spears.

4 – Jacksa Spears became the fourth amateur side to reach the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals since 2008, after Baroka FC (2011), Summerfield Dynamos (2022) and Dondol Stars (2023). They are the first team from the Northern Cape to do so.

5 – Five Betway Premiership clubs (AmaZulu, TS Galaxy, Durban City, Lamontville Golden Arrows, Sekhukhune United) have advanced from the Last 16, to go with two teams from the Motsepe Foundation Championship (Casric Stars, Milford FC) and one from the ABC Motsepe League (Jacksa Spears).

6 – The most goals scored in a single game in the Nedbank Cup this season is six, which happened on two occasions. Jacksa Spears beat FC Cardinals 4-2 in the Last 32, and Siwelele and Richards Bay played to a thrilling 3-3 draw, also in the first round. Richards Bay advanced on penalties.

7 – Two of the Last 16 matches went to a penalty shoot-out, which means we have now had seven in the 2026 Nedbank Cup. The record for the competition is nine in 2021, and with seven matches remaining, that total could be matched or beaten this season. Ten games have gone to extra time, with the record 12, also in 2021.

7 – Mamelodi Sundowns’ exit in the Last 16 is the first time they have failed to make the quarter-finals of the Nedbank Cup in seven editions, since a first-round defeat in 2019. They had made the semi-finals at least five times in that period.

7 – Lamontville Golden Arrows are into the quarter-finals for the first time in seven editions and have managed it with a pair of clean sheets from two home games this campaign. In fact, their last six matches in the Nedbank Cup have all been at home, and they will have another tie in front of their own fans in the quarter-finals when they host Durban City.

9 – There were nine goals scored in the eight games in the Last 16, comfortably the fewest of any season of the Nedbank Cup. The previous lowest was 15 goals in the 2012 and 2019 seasons. It is a far cry from the 29 goals scored in the second round in 2023, which remains a record.

10 – Ten of the 16 teams in the Last 16 failed to find the back of the net. That is the most ever at this stage of the Nedbank Cup.

19 – The quickest goal of the round was scored by TS Galaxy’s Siphamandla Ngwenya, who netted on debut against Mamelodi Sundowns. By coincidence, the youngster is also 19 years old. It was one of just two first-half goals in the Last 16 ties.

31 – Casric Stars goalkeeper Tshigwana Mthombeni, who wears the number 31 jersey, is the son of owner-coach Bucs Mthombeni and a life-long Orlando Pirates fan. But he helped his side to a third clean sheet in four Nedbank Cup matches and then to a shoot-out victory to knock the Soweto giants out of the competition.

55 – There have been 55 goals scored in the 24 matches in the Nedbank Cup so far this season, an average of 2.29 per game. It has proven to be a season with more tight contests than in the past.