PIC: Ronwen Williams of Mamelodi Sundowns saves against University of Pretoria in the 2024 Nedbank Cup

We have yet to have a penalty shoot-out in the 2025 Nedbank Cup, but the law of averages suggests we will get one in the Last 16 that kicks-off next week.
Time then to look at the shoot-out records of the confirmed teams in the second round, with only Limpopo ABC Motsepe League side Mpheni Home Defenders yet to be involved in one on the competition.

We still await the outcome of the Last 32 tie between Royal AM and Milford FC.

AMAZULU
Shoot-outs: 8

Won/Lost: 5/3

Usuthu have been involved in a massive eight shoot-outs and started out OK, winning their first three against Moroka Swallows, Mamelodi Sundowns (both 2010) and Ajax Cape Town (2012). They suffered a first defeat in the Last 32 against Jomo Cosmos in 2016, and have since also lost on spot-kicks to Highlands Park (2019) and third-tier Dondol Stars (2023). That is to go with two more wins against Mthatha Bucks (2018) and Lamontville Golden Arrows (2021) for a 63% success rate.    

BAROKA FC

Shoot-outs: 4

Won/Lost: 2/2

Baroka FC were a third-tier side when they took Black Leopards to penalties in the semifinals of the 2011 Nedbank Cup, but ended up losing 3-1 as their fairy-tale run in the competition came to an end. They beat Hungry Lions in 2020 and lost to Cape Town Spurs in 2021, but levelled up the score from spot-kicks with a 5-3 success over TS Galaxy in the Last 16 in 2022. 

CAPE TOWN SPURS
Shoot-outs: 8

Won/Lost: 2/6
No team has been involved in more Nedbank Cup penalty shoot-outs than Spurs, but their record is dismal with two successes in their previous eight, including a defeat in the 2015 final. They beat second-tier Winners Park in 2009 and Baroka in 2021, but otherwise it has been a tale of woe. Defeats to Free State stars (2010), AmaZulu (2012), Mamelodi Sundowns (2015), third-tier KwaDukuza United (2017), TS Sporting (2020) and Cape Town All Stars (2021) have stunted their progress in the competition.

CHIPPA UNITED

Shoot-outs: 5

Won/Lost: 3/2
Chippa have a 60% win ratio in their Nedbank Cup shootouts, but have in fact claimed the last three, so since 2017 that rises to 100%. They lost shootouts to third-tier Natal United in 2015 and SuperSport United cruelly in the semifinals in 2017. Since then they have beaten BidVest Wits (after an epic 4-4 draw), Free State Stars and last season Polokwane City in the Last 32.  

DURBAN CITY
Shoot-outs: 4

Won/Lost: 3/1
City have been rebranded from Maritzburg United and have had a decent time of it in shoot-outs. They beat University of Pretoria in the Last 32 in 2013, and the following year edged Platinum Stars in the Last 16. But the club bowed out to second-tier Witbank Spurs in the opening round in 2019 for their only defeat, but beat Stellenbosch FC at the same stage in 2020.

KAIZER CHIEFS

Shoot-outs: 5

Won/Lost: 0/5

Chiefs have been involved in five shootouts in their 46 Nedbank Cup ties since 2008, but perhaps that is just as well as they have yet to come out on top, losing every time. The first instance was in the Last 16 against Mamelodi Sundowns 17 years ago, before a heart-breaking shootout loss to BidVest Wits in the 2014 semifinals. They went down again to SuperSport United the quarterfinals in 2017, and then lost to Highlands Park in the Last 16 in 2020. Perhaps worst of all, they were beaten by second-tier Milford FC in the Last 32 in 2024.

MAMELODI SUNDOWNS

Shoot-outs: 5

Won/Lost: 3/2

Sundowns have three wins and two defeats in their five shoot-outs in the past, so a 60% record of success. They beat Kaizer Chiefs in the Last 16 in 2008, but lost to AmaZulu in the semifinals two years later. They then survived a scare in the final against Ajax Cape Town when they won 4-3 on penalties, with Ajax’s Abbubaker Mobara missing a spot-kick to win it for his side. They did not have another one until the semifinals in 2021 when they were beaten by eventual champions TTM in a major shock. They were the last team to be involved in a shoot-out in the Nedbank Cup when they beat University of Pretoria in the 2024 quarterfinals after a 1-1 draw. 

MARUMO GALLANTS

Shoot-outs: 3

Won/Lost: 3/0

Gallants, who campaigned previously as TTM, have a perfect record in shoot-outs, winning all three they have been involved in to date. They beat Swallows FC and Sundowns on their way to lifting the trophy in 2021, and ousted Orlando Pirates in the Last 16 in 2022. That win over Sundowns contained one of the great all-round goalkeeping performances in Nedbank Cup history from Washington Arubi.

ORLANDO PIRATES

Shoot-outs: 6

Won/Lost: 2/4
Like Kaizer Chiefs, Pirates have also struggled badly in Nedbank Cup shootouts, though they do have two wins to their name. They lost to Santos in the Last 32 in 2008, and it wasn’t until 2014 when they appeared in a shootout again, this time getting the better of Thanda Royal Zulu. But since then it has largely been a tale of woe, with back-to-back Last 32 losses to Black Leopards (2019) and BidVest Wits (2020), and defeat to Marumo Gallants in 2022. They had another shoot-out in 2023 on their way to lifting the trophy, and this time edged third-tier Dondol Stars.  

POLOKWANE CITY

Shoot-outs: 1

Won/Lost: 0/1
Only one of Polokwane City’s 19 Nedbank Cup fixtures have gone to penalties and they lost. That was a Last 32 tie with Chippa United in 2023 that ended 1-1, with the Eastern Cape side claiming the shoot-out 3-1.

SEKHUKHUNE UNITED

Shoot-outs: 3

Won/Lost: 2/1

Sekhukhune’s first involvement in a penalty shootout in the Nedbank Cup did not end well. They lost 3-2 to second-tier Platinum City Rovers in the Last 32 in 2022. But they defeated Stellenbosch FC in the 2023 semifinals and edged third-tier Highlands Park in the Last 32 in 2024.

STELLENBOSCH FC

Shoot-outs: 3

Won/Lost: 1/2
Stellenbosch have had three shootouts in the past and have a 33% success rate. Their first was in the 2020 season when they met Maritzburg United at home, but lost the shootout 5-4 after a 2-2 draw. They then suffered the heartache of a semifinal loss on penalties to Sekhukhune United last season, but overcame second-tier Pretoria Callies in the Last 32 this campaign. 

SUPERSPORT UNITED

Shoot-outs: 7

Won/Lost: 6/1

SuperSport won their first five shoot-outs in the Nedbank Cup, defeating Batau FC (2012), Moroka Swallows (2013), University of Pretoria (2016), Kaizer Chiefs and Chippa United (both 20917). But that incredible run came to an end when they were beaten by Bloemfontein Celtic in the first round in 2018, though in 2024 they were back to winning ways with victory over Cape Town City. That gives them a 86% success rate, which is pretty impressive considering penalties are supposed to be a lottery. 

TS GALAXY

Shoot-outs: 2

Won/Lost: 0/2

Galaxy have yet to win a shootout in the Nedbank Cup, losing both their previous attempts. They were bundled out by second-tier TS Sporting in 2021 and then lost to Baroka FC the following season. They did win two shoot-outs in the Carling Knockout in 2023, including in the final, but lost on spot-kicks to Stellenbosch FC to take the silver medal.