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21 January 2020
Goals win games and getting on a scoring run in the Nedbank Cup has done much to boost the careers of strikers in the past. Only last year, TS Galaxy forward Zakhele Lepasa rose to national prominence as he led his side to an unlikely title triumph, netting a late penalty in the final at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium to seal the historic victory over Kaizer Chiefs for the second-tier club. His four goals in the 2019 Nedbank Cup campaign lifted him to the top of the scorers charts, once ahead of Lamontville Golden Arrows forward Knox Mutizwa, and onto the list of golden boot winners in the competition.
It also elevated Lepasa into the Bafana Bafana squad for the 2019 COSAFA Cup, and earned him a shot at winning a place in the squad of Soweto giants Orlando Pirates, providing rocket-fuel for his career. He joins a distinguished list of players to have topped the scoring list in South Africa’s most prestigious cup competition. Former Mamelodi Sundowns forward Nyasha Mushekwi holds the distinction of the most goals in a single Nedbank Cup season when he netted 10 in the 2012 campaign.
It is far and away the outstanding individual performance, with the Zimbabwe international netting against Powerlines FC (six goals), BidVest Wits (two), Maritzburg United (one) and Free State Stars (one) in the semifinals. He could not find the back of the net in the decider though as Sundowns' Tshwane rivals SuperSport United lifted the trophy following a 2-0 win. Incidentally, his six goals against Powerlines FC in a 24-0 win is not the record for the most goals in a single Nedbank Cup game. That goes to midfielder Hlompho Kekana for an incredible seven strikes in that match. Forward Dumisani Ngwenya netted seven times in just two matches for AmaZulu in the 2008 Nedbank Cup, including five as Usuthu thumped third-tier Young Ones 14-0. All five goals came in a devastating 33 minutes spell and he then went on to score two more in the second round 5-0 win over Vasco da Gama. He did not net again as Usuthu made the semifinals but lost to eventual winners Sundowns.
Four players have managed to score five goals in a Nedbank Cup campaign to top the scorers list, including Orlando Pirates forward Tendai Ndoro in 2016. Kingston Nkhatha did so for Free State Stars as they reached the semifinals in 2010, while Musa Nyatama did likewise four years later as his Bloemfontein Celtic side bowed out in the quarterfinals. That included a nine-minute hat-trick in a club record 8-0 defeat of University of Stellenbosch in the Last 32. Black Leopards forward Roggert Nyundu also bagged five goals during his hot run of scoring form in the second half of the 2014/15 season that saw him net a remarkable 19 goals. Another Leopards forward, Zimbabwean Brian Amidu, top-scored in the 2013 Nedbank Cup with all four of his goals coming in a single game, a remarkable 5-4 extra-time victory over third-tier Cape Town All Stars. Ayanda Dlamini was the leading marksman in 2011 as he netted four times for AmaZulu, while seven players shared the honour in 2009 after they netted three times. This included a young Thulani Serero at Ajax Cape Town, and Mark Haskins and Sandile Ndlovu from eventual champions Moroka Swallows.
Three goals was also the magic mark in 2017 when Jeremy Brockie (SuperSport United), Mogakolodi Ngele (BidVest Wits), Gustavo Paez (Kaizer Chiefs) all reached that number, as did Maritzburg United forward Andrea Fileccia in 2018.
TOP-SCORERS IN THE NEDBANK CUP SINCE 2008
2008: 7 goals - Dumisani Ngwenya (AmaZulu)
2009: 3 goals - Franklin Cale and Thulani Serero (both Ajax Cape Town), Mark Haskins and Sandile Ndlovu (both Moroka Swallows), Phenyo Mongala and Mthokozisi Yende (both University of Pretoria), Thabo Mongalo (Black Leopards)
2010: 5 goals - Kingston Nkhatha (Free State Stars)
2011: 4 goals - Ayanda Dlamini (AmaZulu)
2012: 10 goals - Nyasha Mushekwi (Mamelodi Sundowns)
2013: 4 goals - Brian Amidu (Black Leopards)
2014: 5 goals - Musa Nyatama (Bloemfontein Celtic)
2015: 5 goals - Roggert Nyundu (Black Leopards)
2016: 5 goals - Tendai Ndoro (Orlando Pirates)
2017: 3 goals - Jeremy Brockie (SuperSport United), Mogakolodi Ngele (BidVest Wits), Gustavo Paez (Kaizer Chiefs)
2018: 3 goals - Andrea Fileccia (Maritzburg United)
2019: 4 goals - Zakhele Lepasa (TS Galaxy)
*The views represented are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent those of Nedbank.