PIC: Francious Baloyi of Dondol Stars FC challenged by Mamour Niang of SuperSport United

DStv Premiership sides Chippa United and AmaZulu have been drawn against the two remaining ABC Motsepe League teams in the Nedbank Cup Last 16, and neither will be taking their opponents lightly.
Chippa host Mpheni Home Defenders from Limpopo after the latter eased past fellow third-tier outfit Clarewood JMP 3-0 in the last round.
AmaZulu travel to Gauteng to face giant-killers Dondol Stars, who have already seen off three-time Nedbank Cup winners SuperSport United in the Last 32.
Chippa were Nedbank Cup finalists in 2021 and have been to three semi-finals in all in the last five years. But they are also no strangers to shock exits.
They have gone out to lower league opponents four times since 2011, including third-tier Natal United in 2015 when they lost on penalties following a 0-0 home draw.
“It’s a good draw for us, taking nothing away from Mpheni Home Defenders, they are a good team,” Chippa coach Morgan Mammila said. “They are second on the log in their ABC Motsepe League. We are going to respect them like any other team.

“But we are playing at home, we don’t have any excuse not to win this match for our beloved supporters. We will go out with a full squad to win the game to go to the Last 8. We have to win, it is a must.”

This will be the sixth time in eight Nedbank Cup ties that Chippa have faced lower league opponents.

AmaZulu may think they are cursed in the Nedbank Cup having been to six previous competition finals and lost all of them. The latest was in 2010 when they were beaten 3-0 by BidVest Wits.
They have already played third-tier opponents in this year’s competition as they edged past Northern Cape side Tornado FC 3-2 having at one stage led 3-0 in the game.  

But they too know the pain of losing to lower league opponents, having gone out on three occasions to teams in divisions below them since 2009. That also includes a 2013 loss to ABC Motsepe League side Tembu Royals.

“The game we played against Tornado FC (was difficult), these teams are dangerous,” AmaZulu captain Veli Mothwa said. “But we treat it as a normal game. We are looking to playing well against them [Dondol Stars]. It is a good thing for us to play away.

“We have been playing home a lot recently, it does not make it really more difficult, it is a tough match either way.”