PIC: Mkhambathi stunned second-tier Lerumo Lions in the Nedbank Cup Last 32

The romance of the Nedbank Cup is the stories of amateur players rubbing shoulders with professionals and, in several instances, coming out on top, proving that form and reputation can be no match for grit and determination.

KwaZulu-Natal side Mkhambathi will be hoping for their second big scalp of the 2026 Nedbank Cup when they travel to Richards Bay to meet second-tier Milford FC in their Last 16 clash on Sunday (kick-off 15h00).

The ABC Motsepe League side defeated second-tier Lerumo Lions in the last round after a 2-1 home win, and now come up against the in-form leaders from the same division. But having done it once, there is belief in the camp they can go again and cause an upset, with the club having lofty ambitions in the Nedbank Cup this year.

“We are from the ABC Motsepe League and they are in the NFD, so naturally we were the underdogs,” Mkhambathi general manager Ntuthuko Mlaba told The Witness. “On paper it looked almost impossible, but cup competitions are always unpredictable.

“Our players showed heart, commitment and teamwork. They gave everything to make sure we qualified for the next round.”

Mkhambathi are top of their ABC Motsepe League stream and, while promotion is a key objective, so is the Nedbank Cup.

“It may sound ambitious, but our aim is to go far in the Nedbank Cup and also challenge for the league title. We believe we have a strong enough squad to compete on both fronts,” Mlaba said.

“It won’t be easy, but on the field we will do whatever it takes to win. We want to be successful and continue making history for our region.”

There will be a third-tier side in the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals this year with Jacksa Spears hosting CR Vasco da Gama on Sunday (kick-off 15h00), just the fourth time in the history of the competition after Baroka FC (2011), Summerfield Dynamos (2022) and Dondol Stars (2023).

But Mkhambathi can make history by ensuring there is a second amateur team in the last eight for the first time.

There was a touching moment for Jacksa Spears in this year’s competition. On the day he scored twice to help Spears defeat FC Cardinals in the Nedbank Cup Last 32, Moeti Mofokeng buried his grandmother.

The technical team and supporters of Spears attended the funeral in Welkom before travelling to the match in Bethlehem, where Mofokeng came off the bench to be the match-winner.

“It was very tough for me to play that game,” the emotional 25-year-old said afterwards. “But I told myself I had to do it for her. When I stepped onto the field, I was only thinking about my grandmother. Everything I did was for her.”

It was a reminder of the human side of the game, with Mofokeng aiming to be the hero again to fire his side into the quarter-finals.