09 February 2020

Vaal University of Technology (VUT) caused one of the biggest upsets on South African football history when the fourth-tier outfit ousted top-flight Lamontville Golden Arrows from the Nedbank Cup last 32 on Saturday.

It is the first time ever that a SAB Regional League side has beaten a Premier League team and was one of a number of shock results in the Last 32 over the weekend. It means there will be four teams from the SAFA structures in this year's Last 16, double the record number previously of two, with 50 percent of the clubs in the draw advancing to the next stage. 

"VUT caused the shock of the round as they beat Golden Arrows 6-5 on penalties after the teams played to a 2-2 draw on Saturday."

 

Nine of the 16 Premier League clubs that entered will be in the second stage, while only three GladAfrica Championship sides have advanced. VUT caused the shock of the round as they beat Golden Arrows 6-5 on penalties after the teams played to a 2-2 draw on Saturday. Leuba Tema gave them an early lead, but their skipper Sibusiso Mokondo scored an own goal and Michazel Gumede grabbed a late goal for Abafana Bes’thende to turn the tie on its head. The Premier League side appeared on course for the win until Reitumetse Hlongwane equalised two minutes from time for VUT, sending the game into extra-time and then penalties, in which the university side triumphed 6-5 to create history.

Last year's beaten finalists Kaizer Chiefs advanced thanks to a lone Lebo Manyama goal in a 1-0 win over second-tier Royal Eagles, while Mamelodi Sundowns saw off Tshwane rivals SuperSport United by the same scoreline, Sibusiso Vilakazi with the only goal. Third-tier Passion FC were narrow losers in a five-goal thriller against Real Kings from the GladAfrica Championship. Philani Cele, Levy Mashiane and Victor Bakah netted for Kings, while Nhlanhla Masina and Thulani Mbonane scored for Passion FC. Eastern Cape ABC Motsepe League side Amavarara beat their Free State counterparts Super Eagles 2-1, the third year in a row that the latter of lost in the Last 32 by that scoreline.   

Sihle Maso and Khakha Velaphi netted for Amavarara, while Thabiso Mokoena pulled one back for Eagles, but they could not find an equaliser at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium. Bloemfontein Celtic claimed a handsome 4-1 victory over fellow top-flight side AmaZulu, with Michael Morton of Usuthu scoring an unfortunate own goal to equalise just before halftime. Wandisile Letlabika, Tumelo Njoti and Neo Maema got the other goals. Talent Chawapiwa scored the opener in the game that gave AmaZulu the lead, but Celtic roared back in the second period.

In the final game on Saturday, a brace from Peter Shalulile secured a 2-0 home win for Highlands Park over second-tier Uthongathi. Ten-man BidVest Wits secured their passage thanks to a 3-2 penalty shoot-out victory over Orlando Pirates following a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Orlando Stadium. Wits looked to be cruising as they went 2-0 up thanks to a penalty from Cameroon forward Bienvenu Eva Nga and a strike just before halftime from Deon Hotto.

Pirates forced the game to extra-time though as Thembinkosi Lorch and Happy Jele scored in the second period, and they then moved into the lead in extra-time as Zakhele Lepasa scored as penalty. It was his first goal since he netted a spot-kick for TS Galaxy in the final victory over Kaizer Chiefs last season.

But there was more late drama as Gift Motupa sent the game to penalties with a 121st minute goal after which Wits triumphed as only five of the 10 spot-kicks were converted. Hungry Lions from the Northern Cape ABC Motsepe League shocked Jomo Cosmos with a 1-0 win thanks to a goal from Reanetse Ramatlhapeng, while Mbombela United defeated Cape Town City by the same scoreline in Mpumalanga. Justice Figuaredo got the only goal of the game. There draw for the Last 16 will take place on Monday night, but there are still two more games to come in the first round on Tuesday. The fourth ABC Motsepe League team in the second round will be known when Zizwe United host Happy Wanderers at the Athlone Stadium (kick-off 19h30). At the same time there will be a Limpopo derby between Polokwane City and Baroka FC at the Peter Mokaba Stadium. Tickets for the Nedbank Cup Last 32 are on sale at TicketPro outlets and selected SASOL garages countrywide. Prices will start at R40 for adults, and R15 for children under the age of 12. Supporters can also purchase tickets online at www.ticketpros.co.za.  

 

LAST 32 NEDBANK CUP RESULTS

Wednesday, February 5: Chippa United 3 (Gamildien 63’, Kwem 74’, 89’) TS Galaxy FC 0

Thursday, February 6: Ajax Cape Town 2 (Mfecane 89’, Mkhize 115’) TS Sporting 2 (Wagaba 17', Mojela 101’); After extra-time; TS Sporting win 4-3 on penalties 

Friday, February 7: Stellenbosch FC 2 (Matsi 9', Skelem 27’) Maritzburg United 2 (Kutumela 22' pen, 45') After extra-time; Maritzburg win 5-4 on penalties

Saturday, February 8: Vaal University of Technology 2 (Tema 4', Hlongwane 88') Lamontville Golden Arrows 2 (Mokondo 11' og, Gumede 86’) After extra-time; VUT win 6-5 on penalties Passion FC 2 (Masina, Mbonane) Real Kings 3 (Cele, Mashiane, Bakah) Amavarara 2 (Maso 34’, Velaphi 42’) Super Eagles 1 (Mokoena 51’ Bloemfontein Celtic 4 (Morton 45' og, Letlabika 66’, Njoti 84' Maema 89' pen) AmaZulu 1 (Chawapiwa 34’)  Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Manyama 70’) Royal Eagles 0 Mamelodi Sundowns 1 (Vilakazi 24’) SuperSport United 0 Highlands Park 2 (Shalulile 32', 67') Uthongathi 0

Sunday, February 9: Jomo Cosmos 0 Hungry Lions 1 (Ramatlhapeng 52') Black Leopards 4 (Ngele 7', Mncwango 59', 81’ Khutlang 90’) North West University 0 Orlando Pirates 3 (Lorch 69’, Jele 74’, Lepasa 105’ pen) BidVest Wits 3 (Eva Nga 28’ pen, Hotto 45’, Motupa 120’) After extra-time; Wits win 3-2 on penalties Mbombela United 1 (Figuaredo 35’) Cape Town City 0

 

LAST 32 NEDBANK CUP FIXTURES

Tuesday, February 11: 19h30 - Zizwe United vs Happy Wanderers - Athlone Stadium 19h30 - Polokwane City vs Baroka FC - New Peter Mokaba Stadium

TOURNAMENT STATS:

Matches Played: 14
Goals Scored: 44
Biggest Victory: 4 - Black Leopards 4 North West University 0 (February 9, Last 32)  
Most Goals in a Game: 6 - Orlando Pirates 3 BidVest Wits (February 9, Last 32)

GOALSCORERS: 2 goals - Thabiso Kutumela (Maritzburg United), Augustine Kwem (Chippa United), Thobani Mncwango (Black Leopards), Peter Shalulile (Highlands Park) 1 - Victor Bakah (Real Kings), Philani Cele (Real Kings), Talent Chawapiwa (AmaZulu), Bienvenu Eva Nga (BidVest Wits), Justice Figuaredo (Mbombela United), Ruzaigh Gamildien (Chippa United), Michael Gumede (Lamontville Golden Arrows), Reitumetse Hlongwane (Vaal University of Technology), Deon Hotto (BidVest Wits), Happy Jele (Orlando Pirates), Tumelo Khutlang (Black Leopards), Zakhele Lepasa (Orlando Pirates), Wandisile Letlabika (Bloemfontein Celtic), Thembinkosi Lorch (Orlando Pirates), Neo Maema (Bloemfontein Celtic), Lebo Manyama (Kaizer Chiefs), Levy Mashiane (Real Kings), Nhlanhla Masina (Passion FC), Sihle Maso (Amavarara), Mpho Matsi (Stellenbosch FC), Thulani Mbonane (Passion FC), Sonwabile Mfecane (Ajax Cape Town), Siphesihle Mkhize (Ajax Cape Town), Katlego Mojela (TS Sporting), Thabiso Mokoena (Super Eagles), Gift Motupa (BidVest Wits), Mogakolodi Ngele (Black Leopards), Tumelo Njoti (Bloemfontein Celtic), Reanetse Ramatlhapeng (Hungry Lions), Leletu Skelem (Stellenbosch FC), Leuba Tema (Vaal University of Technology), Khakha Velaphi (Amavarara), Sibusiso Vilakazi (Mamelodi Sundowns), Mbulelo Wagaba (TS Sporting) Own goals - Sibusiso Mokondo (Vaal University of Technology), Michael Morton (AmaZulu)

*The views represented are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent those of Nedbank.

       

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