Cape Town - The search for the whopping R7-million winner’s purse starts in earnest this weekend when the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals are played.
The action kicks off on Saturday when giant-killers Dondol Stars host two-time champions Orlando Pirates at Peter Mokaba Stadium.
Stars, the Gauteng ABC Motsepe League side, have seen off two Premiership teams in this year’s competition. They defeated SuperSport United 2-1 in the last 32 and edged AmaZulu FC on penalties in the last 16.
Dondol Stars midfielder Relebogile Molefe is the team’s dangerman. He scored against SuperSport and has the physical attributes to cause Pirates problems.
What Molefe might lack in technique, he makes up for in physicality and will give the Buccaneers a bruising afternoon.
Stars are the third team from the Safa structures to reach the quarterfinals after Baroka FC (2011) and Summerfield Dynamos (2022).
Pirates’ Zimbabwe striker Terrence Dzvukamanja has been excellent in recent weeks and worked his way into coach Jose Riveiro’s starting XI. He shapes up as Pirates’ dangerman.
He has scored three goals in his last five matches, and it makes him one of the form players in the Premiership at the moment.
There is a mouth-watering clash on Saturday when Steve Barker’s Stellenbosch FC welcome defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns to Athlone Stadium.
Right-wing Iqraam Rayners has been sensational since his return to Stellenbosch from SuperSport in January, scoring nine goals in seven games, including four in the Cup.
He scored in Stellies’ recent league draw with Sundowns, so will be looking for a repeat performance.
Sundowns’ Peter Shalulile is the leading scorer in the Cup this season with five goals from two games, but breathing down his neck is Rayners, who has four.
Attacking midfielder Neo Maema will carry Sundowns’ hopes. He might not shine the brightest at Sundowns, but he has been a consistent performer for them this campaign and only Teboho Mokoena has played more league games than him this season.
Maema has played 31 games in all competitions and has been a key provider of assists for teammates.
Sundowns have extended their unbeaten run in the Cup to 16 games since a last 32 loss to Chippa United in 2019. Their 2021 semi-final with Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila ended 0-0 , so is recorded as a draw despite the fact that they went out on penalties.
On Sunday, 2021 runners-up Chippa United and first-time quarter-finalists Sekhukhune United lock horns at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Sekhukhune hold the record for the biggest margin of victory in this year’s tournament. They won 6-0 against fourth-tier Liver Brothers in the last 32.
The last fixture of the quarterfinals will see 2022 semi-finalists Royal AM and 2013 champions Kaizer Chiefs trading blows at Chatsworth Stadium on Sunday.
It is the first time since 2014 that the ‘Big Three’ of Pirates, Chiefs and Sundowns have all reached the quarter-finals.
Chiefs won a last 16 game (2-1 against Casric Stars) for the first time since 2019 in the previous round. That was the year they reached the final but lost to then second-tier TS Galaxy.
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