PIC: Liver Brothers captain Lebogang Sibuyi (left) with Sekhukhune United skipper Linda Mntambo.

The magic of the Nedbank Cup is such that it pits amateur players from the third and fourth tier of South African football against some of the biggest clubs – and players – in the country.
It is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for some aspiring professional footballers to showcase their quality to a national audience and perhaps catch the eye of coaches at the elite clubs.
That will most certainly be the case for Mpumalanga fourth-tier side Liver Brothers, who are the lowest ranked club in this year’s Nedbank Cup Last 32, but firmly believe they can go far into the tournament.

They have a first round clash with DStv Premiership side Sekhukhune United, who have seen their own form rejuvenated under new coach Brandon Truter.
Sekhukhune have been red hot, with only runaway leaders Mamelodi Sundowns showing better form in the top flight, but Liver Brothers captain Lebogang Sibuyi is confident of an upset.
“We are not afraid of any team, football can surprise you!” he says. “We are ready to compete with the big shots, even Sekhukhune United. For sure, we are going to beat them!”
It is fighting talk, but as the underdogs Liver Brothers have nothing to lose. Sibuyi also believes the Last 32 clash will be a platform for many clubs to spot new talent in his team.

“Some of my players will get promoted to big teams like Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. I believe in them,” the confident skipper says.

“For sure, we see it as an opportunity to become professional footballers. We are ready, we have worked very hard to get here.

“It would be great of three or four players could get promoted to the professional ranks after this Nedbank Cup. It will be a big achievement for us.”

Liver Brothers can draw inspiration from another team that played out of Bushbuckridge in the Mpumalanga province.
Then third-tier side Acornbush United defeated topflight Cape Town City 1-0 in their Nedbank Cup Last 32 tie in 2017, before narrowly losing 2-1 to Kaizer Chiefs in the next round. 
Above individual honours, it is also a chance for a club to be recognised and a community to galvanise their support behind their local heroes.
Liver Brothers hail from the remote area of Bushbuckridge, where there is no professional team within 100-kilometres.  

Sibuyi says they will feel the local support and that there is already excitement in the area.

“Everybody in our community wants to support us, even if of course they also like big teams like Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns,” he says. “But they show their support for us too. We know the people of our province will get behind us in this competition.

“We always believed that one day we would make the Last 32 of the Nedbank Cup. It’s just fantastic to be in the draw with all the big guns, teams in the PSL. We are going to make our mark.”

Liver Brothers campaign in the SAFA Ehlanzeni region and are in based in Kildare in the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality.
They unveiled coach Magic Nyalungu at the start of this season in the hope that he will guide them to promotion and a run in the Nedbank Cup.
The club have been in existence since the 1960s without making it to the professional ranks, but are keen to change that under current president Pat Khumalo.
The team had made a solid start to their league season at the turn of the year, including a 7-0 success against Bohlabela Black Swallows FC.
They will hope to emulate Vaal University of Technology, who became the first fourth-tier side to advance past Premiership opposition when they ousted Lamontville Golden Arrows from the Last 32 on penalties in 2020.