PIC: Royal AM players celebrate penalty shootout victory with goalkeeper Hugo Nyame

Sunday’s action in the Nedbank Cup served up the first dramatic penalty shoot-out of the 2023 campaign as Royal AM edged past Cape Town City following their entertaining goalless draw in the Mother City.
City will be kicking themselves having had numerous opportunities to claim the win in the 120 minutes, though they may also point to some bad luck having hit the woodwork on three occasions.
Royal AM goalkeeper Hugo Nyame proved the hero in the shoot-out as he saved from Lorenzo Gordinho and Khanyisa Mayo to send the Durban club into Thursday’s Last 16 draw.
Two other topflight sides through on Sunday were AmaZulu and TS Galaxy, though not without a fight.
Usuthu edged Northern Cape third-tier side Tornado FC 3-2 having looked comfortable with a three goal lead before the minnows came surging back into the contest late on.
Michael Gumede, Gabadinho Mhango and Bongi Ntuli had the 2010 Nedbank Cup finalists in the driving seat, but there were late flutters in their camp when Mario Katz and Kenneth Dupane pulled goals back for the ABC Motsepe League side to set up a nervous final 10 minutes.
The 2019 winners TS Galaxy also faced third-tier opposition in the form for Amavarara from the Eastern Cape and they too were made to work hard for their 2-0 win. Sphiwe Mahlangu and Masilake Phohlongo both scored just before halftime.
It was a much more routine victory for second-tier Casric Stars as they beat Mkhambathi from the division below them 4-0 to book a Last 16 place. In-form forward Kgomotso Mosadi scored a brace and in doing so took his tally for the season to 14 in all competitions. No player has scored more in South Africa’s top-two tiers.

Mumuni Abubakar and Siyabonga Nkosi got the other goals for Stars as they transferred their impressive league form into the cup.
There is still one final Last 32 match to be played on Tuesday as Motsepe Foundation Championship leaders Polokwane City host 2021 Nedbank Cup finalists Chippa United at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium (kick-off 19h30).
There are so far 10 teams from the DStv Premiership through to the Last 16, including the so-called ‘Big Three’ in Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.
Three clubs from the second-tier have advanced – Cape Town Spurs, Venda Football Academy and Casric Stars – while there are also two teams from the ABC Motsepe League in the form of Mpheni Home Defenders and Dondol Stars, who provided us with the biggest shock so far in this year’s competition when they ousted SuperSport United.
There have been a very healthy 48 goals scored in the 15 Last 32 matches to date, an average of over three per game in what has been a hugely entertaining round so far.

 

2023 NEDBANK CUP LAST 32 FIXTURES/RESULTS

February 7, 2023
Mamelodi Sundowns 3 (Shalulile 11’, 55’, Lebusa 46’) Richards Bay 2 (Zungu 30’pen, Makateng 90’)

Marumo Gallants 3 (Koapeng 27’pen, Moseamedi 45’, Thangwane 45’) Magesi FC 1 (Selemela 59’)

February 8, 2023
SuperSport United 1 (Nhlapo 18’) Dondol Stars 2 (Molefe 51’, Monama 76’)

Sekhukhune United 6 (Kabwe 13’, Cardoso 36’, Ohizo 53’pen, Mncube 80’, 85’, Morris 90’) Liver Brothers 0


February 10, 2023
Cape Town Spurs 3 (Moosa 56’, Butsaka 88’, Ryan 90’) Baroka FC 0

Maritzburg United 0 Kaizer Chiefs 2 (Saile 92’, Du Preez 113’)

After extra-time

February 11, 2023
FC Blackcross 1 (Thakho) Venda Football Academy 2 (Manzini 9’, 66’)

Lamontville Golden Arrows 2 (Mogaswa 50’og, Mutizwa 113’) Pretoria Callies 1 (Dubula 15’pen)
After extra-time 

Mpheni Home Defenders 3 (Makanya 43’, Shilenge 67’, Mavundla 86’) Clarewood JPM 0

Stellenbosch FC 3 (Sibiya 8’, Rayners 17’, 58’) Swallows FC 0

All Stars 0 Orlando Pirates 2 (Saleng 62’, Lorch 71’)

February 12, 2023
AmaZulu 3 (Gumede 8’, Mhango 25’, Ntuli 63’) Tornado FC 2 (Katz 78’, Dupane 80’)

Mkhambathi FC 0 Casric Stars 4 (Mosadi 9’pen, 30’, Abubaker 24’, Nkosi 50’)

TS Galaxy 2 (Mahlangu 41’, Pholongo 45’) Amavarara 0

Cape Town City 0 Royal AM 0
After extra-time; Royal AM won 4-3 on penalties

February 14, 2023

19h30: Polokwane City vs Chippa United – Old Peter Mokaba Stadium  

TOURNAMENT STATS 

Matches Played: 15

Goals Scored: 48

Biggest Victory: Sekhukhune United 6 Liver Brothers 0 (February 8, Last 32)

Most Goals in a Game: 6 – Sekhukhune United 6 Liver Brothers 0 (February 8, Last 32)

GOALSCORERS 

2 goals – Rhulani Manzini (Venda Football Academy), Vusimuzi Mncube (Sekhukhune United), Kgomotso Mosadi (Casric Stars), Iqraam Rayners (Stellenbosch FC), Peter Shalulile (Mamelodi Sundowns)

1 – Mumuni Abubakar (Casric Stars), Chumani Butsaka (Cape Town Spurs), Daniel Cardoso (Sekhukhune United), Ashley du Preez (Kaizer Chiefs), Siyabonga Dubula (Pretoria Callies), Kenneth Dupane (Tornado FC), Michael Gumede (AmaZulu), Rodrick Kabwe (Sekhukhune United), Mario Katz (Tornado FC), Letsie Koapeng (Marumo Gallants), Mosa Lebusa (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thembinkosi Lorch (Orlando Pirates), Sphiwe Mahlangu (TS Galaxy), Bonginkosi Makanya (Mpheni Home Defenders), Katleho Makateng (Richards Bay), Nkosephayo Mavundla (Mpheni Home Defenders), Gabadinho Mhango (AmaZulu), Relebogile Molefe (Dondol Stars), Kholofelo Monama (Dondol Stars), Therlo Moosa (Cape Town Spurs), Tashreeq Morris (Sekhukhune United), Judas Moseamedi (Marumo Gallants), Knox Mutizwa (Lamontville Golden Arrows), Siyabonga Nhlapo (SuperSport United), Siyabonga Nkosi (Casric Stars), Bongo Ntuli (AmaZulu), Chibuike Ohizu (Sekhukhune United), Masilake Phohlongo (TS Galaxy), Colin Ryan (Cape Town Spurs), Christian Saile (Kaizer Chiefs), Monnapule Saleng  (Orlando Pirates), Kagiso Selemela (Magesi FC), Nkateko Shilenge (Mpheni Home Defenders), Vusi Sibiya (Stellenbosch FC), Theko Thakho (FC Blackcross), Tebogo Thangwane (Marumo Gallants), Nkanyiso Zungu (Richards Bay)
Own goal – Kamogelo Mogaswa (Pretoria Callies)