The 16th edition of the Nedbank Cup has reached its final stages and all roads lead to Tshwane, as Soweto giants Orlando Pirates will cross swords against Limpopo outfit Sekhukhune United at the at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday.
Pirates were the first team to secure a spot in the final after they claimed an extra time 2-1 victory over arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs two weeks ago.
Sekhukhune, meanwhile, booked their spot in the final by overcoming Stellenbosch FC in a hard-fought 4-3 win on penalties in the semifinals. It goes without saying that the 2022/23 Nedbank Cup campaign served yet another spectacular exciting tournament, which saw ABC Motsepe League side Dondol Stars stepping up to being the giant slayers.
Dondol kick-started the tournament by knocking out DStv Premiership side SuperSport United in the first round. Their victory proved to not have been a fluke when they stunned another elite side, AmaZulu, beating them 5-4 in a highly contested penalty shootout.
The amateur outfit were having a time of their lives, how-ever, their fairy tale came to an end at the hands of Pirates in the quarterfinals, who needed a penalty shootout to eliminate the big team tormentors.
The Sea Robbers and Babina Noko both had an impressive run and earned their place in the final, as they had to dig deep in their respective run in the tournament.
Coaches Jose Riveiro and Brandon Truter will be meeting for the third time this season, with Truter’s charges having the upper hand over Bucs, having beaten Riveiro’s side in the first round in the league and managed to salvage a draw recently.
Pirates are the second most successful team in the Nedbank Cup competition after Amakhosi. Bucs won it eight times and last lifted the trophy in 2014, while Babina Noko have made it this far in the competition for the first time in their history.
The Ke Yona showpiece will see new kings crowned after reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns failed to defend their title when they fell short to Stellenbosch FC in the last eight. The Buccaneers will be searching for their second silverware of the season after clinching the MTN8, while Babina Noko will be setting their sights on making history by winning their first major trophy.
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