PIC: Ronwen Williams saving a penalty for SuperSport United during their 2017 Nedbank Cup semi-final against Chippa United

Ronwen Williams’ heroics for Bafana Bafana in their Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final against Cape Verde on Saturday will be no surprise to keen followers of the Nedbank Cup, where the Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper remains undefeated in five shoot-outs.
Williams saved four penalties in the shoot-out against Cape Verde to send Bafana through to a semi-final meeting with Nigeria, proving once again he is the king of the spot-kick.
The 32-year-old spent the first 12 years of his professional career at SuperSport United, where he holds the club record for most starts 371 and helped them to a trio of Nedbank Cup wins, beating Sundowns in the final in 2012 before back-to-back successes against Orlando Pirates in 2016 and 2017.
He was injured during the first of those clashes with The Buccaneers in Polokwane and replaced by Boalefa Pule in the second half, but nevertheless played his part in their success.
Williams has been involved in 17 shootouts for club and country in his career, winning 12 of them, a very healthy success rate.
That includes all five in the Nedbank Cup, a record for a goalkeeper in the competition.

His first came in that 2012 run to the final when SuperSport were held to a 1-1 draw by third-tier Batau FC. Williams helped his side to a 4-2 victory in the shootout.
SuperSport made the final again the following year, though it ended in defeat to Kaizer Chiefs, and needed Williams in a shoot-out again.

This time it was against Moroka Swallows early on and the gloveman again saw his team to the win on post-match penalties as they triumphed 5-3 after a 0-0 draw.
It would be three seasons before he was involved in another one though, this time in 2016. 

SuperSport played to a 3-3 draw with University of Pretoria in an Nedbank Cup classic, and eventually triumphed 4-2 on penalties.
Williams was involved in two shoot-outs to help his side to the final in 2017, the first a 5-3 defeat of Kaizer Chiefs following a 1-1 draw.
That set up a semifinal with Chippa United and again Williams came out on top after a 0-0 draw. Matsatsantsa won 4-2.
It is therefore a strange oddity, every time Williams has been involved in a Nedbank Cup shoot-out, his side have made the final, lifting the trophy on three of those four occasions. 
He has since moved on to Sundowns and may well extend his record in the coming campaign, with The Brazilians among the favourites to regain the title they last won in 2022, just weeks before Williams arrived at Chloorkop. 
He has been involved in one shoot-out to date with Sundowns, but they lost the final of the 2023 MTN8 to Orlando Pirates.  

RONWEN WILLIAMS’ NEDBANK CUP CAREER PENALTY SHOOT-OUTS
04/03/12: Batau FC (2)1-1(4) SuperSport United (Nedbank Cup)

22/02/13: SuperSport United (5)0-0(3) Moroka Swallows (Nedbank Cup)

05/04/16: SuperSport United (4)3-3(2) University of Pretoria (Nedbank Cup)

22/04/17: Kaizer Chiefs (3)1-1(5) SuperSport United (Nedbank Cup)

20/05/17: Chippa United (2)0-0(4) SuperSport United (Nedbank Cup)