PIC: Orlando Pirates with the 2024 Nedbank Cup trophy

Orlando Pirates are seeking to win a third Nedbank Cup final in a row this year, but first they must get past Marumo Gallants in Sunday’s semifinal at Orlando Stadium (kick-off 15h00).
Pirates defeated Sekhukhune United 2-1 in the 2023 decider and then edged Mamelodi Sundowns by the same scoreline a year later.
No team has won the title three times in a row since Nedbank took over sponsorship of the competition in 2008, but Pirates have themselves won South Africa’s prestigious FA Cup in three successive seasons in the past, the last of which was exactly 50 years ago.
They beat Zulu Royals (now AmaZulu) 5-2 in the 1973 final, before edging the same side 1-0 the following year. Their hat-trick was sweet as they beat Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 in 1975 to make in three wins in succession.
They actually made the next two finals as well in 1976 and 1977, but on both occasions lost 1-0 to Chiefs.
The AmaKhosi have claimed back-to-back successes twice before, that double over Pirates in the 1970s and then again in 1981 and 1982 when they Pirates in the first of those finals and African Wanderers in the second.
The terms of the Nedbank Cup era, Pirates were involved in a back-to-back triumph, but on the wrong end of it as SuperSport United defeated them in both the 2016 and 2017 finals.

But they made up for that disappointment with wins in the last two years as they now seek a third title win in a row.
It means there are only three clubs who have retained the Nedbank Cup competition trophy in its 54 years of existence – Pirates (twice), Chiefs (twice) and SuperSport.

BACK-TO-BACK WINS IN SOUTH AFRICA’S FA CUP
Orlando Pirates: 1973, 1974, 1975

Kaizer Chiefs: 1976, 1977

Kaizer Chiefs: 1981, 1982

SuperSport United: 2016, 2017

Orlando Pirates: 2023, 2024