PIC: Sekhukhune United coach Eric Tinkler

Mamelodi Sundowns and Sekhukhune United will clash in the last of the 2025 Nedbank Cup quarterfinals at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Friday (19h00 kick-off) with Kaizer Chiefs eagerly awaiting the victor for a semifinal showdown.
Sundowns may be favourites heading into the clash but Sekhukhune have proven time and again that on their day they are a match for anyone, and in new coach Eric Tinkler they have a master tactician.

But Tinkler has found the Nedbank Cup a tough competition down the years and compared to success he has enjoyed in other domestic knockout cups, it has been a tough road.

Tinkler took Orlando Pirates to the Nedbank Cup final in 2016, where they were edged 3-2 by SuperSport United, a team he would later go on to coach.
And Pirates’ opponents in the quarterfinal that year? An away clash at Mamelodi Sundowns.

Pirates won the game 2-0 in extra-time as Tendai Ndoro and Mpho Makola scored the late goals, a result achieved despite a 72-minute red card for Edwin Gyimah.
Pirates reached the final that year the hard way having beaten Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs 2-0 in the Last 32, before a 3-1 win at Jomo Cosmos in the next stage.
Their quarterfinal win over Sundowns set up a semifinal with Free State Stars, where they were 4-2 winners.

But against Stuart Baxter’s SuperSport, they came up short in the decider.
Tinkler has not otherwise found much joy in the Nedbank Cup down the years and has in fact not been past the Last 16 in seven other campaigns.
In his first season at Pirates they lost 1-0 to SuperSport United in the Last 16.
After leaving The Buccaneers he moved to Cape Town City for the 2016/17 campaign, but the newly-formed club were stunned by third-tier Acornbush in the Nedbank Cup Last 32. 
He was on the move again to SuperSport for 2017/18 and this time was edged by Bloemfontein Celtic on penalties in the Last 32.
He reached the Last 16 with Maritzburg United in 2020 after they edged Stellenbosch FC on penalties but then lost 3-2 to Celtic.

He rejoined Cape Town City in 2022 but exited the Nedbank Cup at the Last 32 in the next three seasons to Royal AM (2022 and 2023) and SuperSport United (2024).
In his 13 Nedbank Cup matches in charge, he has won four outright to go with three draws and six losses.
His last outright win in the competition was the semifinal success against Free State Stars in 2016.

As a coach, Tinkler has come up against Sundowns on 23 previous occasions at his various clubs, winning four of those to go with eight draws and 11 defeats.

He has twice lost to Sundowns in a cup final – the 2019 Telkom Knockout with Maritzburg United and the 2021 MTN8 with Cape Town City, the latter on penalties.

ERIC TINKLER’S FINISHES AS A COACH IN THE NEDBANK CUP

2024 – First round

2023 – First round

2022 – First round
2020 – Second round
2018 – First round

2017 – First round
2016 – Runner-Up
2015 – Second round