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30 January 2020
The Nedbank Cup has a history of providing goals galore and the Last 32 is usually the round where fans get a rush of fine strikes. When teams from the elite Premier League clash with those in the SAFA structures, there can be some blow-out scores to go with the potential upsets that boost the goals tally in this round. But the last two years has seen a tightening of the gap between the divisions and fewer one-sided contest, which shows the tremendous improvement in standards in the lower leagues.
In fact, in 2019 there were 41 goals scored in the Nedbank Cup Last 32, one fewer than the previous lowest mark, which was set in 2018. There has been much debate around the country about strikers not having the same potency as in previous years and this leading to a shortage of goals, but the third lowest number of goals in the Last 32 came in 2009 when 43 were scored. So it is likely not a case of strikers performing worse than before, but rather that the lower league teams are performing better and are easier able to nullify their threat.
The most number of goals at this stage of the competition came in 2012 when 68 were scored, a number significantly boosted by the record 24-0 victory for Mamelodi Sundowns over Northern Cape side Powerlines FC. The 2010 competition provided 60 goals in the 16 matches, the only other time that figure has been reached. We came close in 2015 with 59 goals scored, including 10 in one game as Ajax Cape Town beat mainstay United 9-1. And in 2008 there were 57 goals in the Last 32, again a figure boosted by the 14-0 hammering that AmaZulu dished out to Young Ones.
GOALS IN THE NEDBANK CUP LAST 32
2008 Goals: 57
Average per game: 3.56
Most goals in a game: AmaZulu 14-0 Young Ones
2009 Goals: 43
Average per game: 2.69
Most goals in a game: Blackburn Rovers 2-4 University of Pretoria
2010 Goals: 60
Average per game: 3.75
Most goals in a game: Tower United 1-6 Free State Stars
2011 Goals: 56
Average per game: 3.50
Most goals in a game: Carara Kicks 7-0 Cullinan FC
2012 Goals: 68
Average per game: 4.25
Most goals in a game: Powerlines 0-24 Mamelodi Sundowns
2013 Goals: 56
Average per game: 3.50
Most goals in a game: Island 2-7 Polokwane City; Black Leopards 5-4 Cape Town All Stars
2014 Goals: 55
Average per game: 3.44
Most goals in a game: Mainstay United 3-8 African Warriors
2015 Goals: 59
Average per game: 3.69
Most goals in a game: Mainstay United 1-9 Ajax Cape Town
2016 Goals: 46
Average per game: 2.88
Most goals in a game: United Rovers 0-7 Mpumalanga Black Aces
2017 Goals: 49
Average per game: 3.06
Most goals in a game: Days FC 2-5 Mbombela United
2018 Goals: 42
Average per game: 2.63
Most goals in a game: Richards Bay 5-0 Young Tigers
2019 Goals: 41
Average per game: 2.56
Most goals in a game: Bidvest Wits 4-0 Boyne Tigers; Umvoti 1-3 TS Galaxy
*The views represented are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent those of Nedbank.