This season’s Nedbank Cup tournament will be without amateur teams after South African Football Association (Safa) was unable to provide teams from the lower divisions due to complications brought about by Covid-19. As a result of this, the round of 32 will be made up of 16 teams from the DStv Premiership teams and 16 teams from the GladAfrica Championship which is also known as the National First Division (NFD).
Polokwane City vs Steenberg United
Date: Wednesday, 3 February 2021
This is one of the matches between the GladAfrica Championship sides who will be desperate to progress to the next round of the tournament for the financial rewards that comes with it. Nothing much separates them on the log standings in their GladAfrica Championship with Polokwane City sitting 11th spot and Steenberg United three places down.
Mamelodi Sundowns vs Stellenbosch
Date: Wednesday, 3 February 2021
There is no doubt that the star studded Sundowns will be favourites against Stellenbosch when they meet at Loftus on the opening day of the tournament. Sundowns, who are defending champions after the beat Bloemfontein Celtic on the last match of last season, are determined to defend their trophy. Their mission is not going to be an easy one as Stellenbosch and their coach Steve Barker have ambitions of their own.
Bizana Pondo Chiefs vs Cape Town All Stars
Date: Thursday, 4 February 2021
Another fixture that has pitted together two teams from the GladAfrica Championship and they go into this clash with nothing much separating them on the log. Bizana Chiefs have started their life in the GladAfrica Championship with some difficulty as they are currently sitting bottom of the log and it remains to be seen if they will put their best foot forward in the Nedbank Cup. CT All Stars have also not had things their own way in the league as they 3rd from the bottom in the league and they will be hoping for a good performance that will boost their morale.
Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) vs SuperSport United
Date: Thursday, 4 February 2021
This is a repeat of this season’s first match of the season where SuperSport United narrowly beat TTM in the 3-2 in the MTN8 last 16 stage. Second from the bottom TTM, who were recently bought after they purchased the status of Bidvest Wits last season, have struggled in the league. They are going to have it difficult against SuperSport who are flying high in the PSL.
Pretoria Callies vs Royal AM
Date: Friday, 5 February 2021
This is another match-up between two teams that are competing n the GladAfrica Championship and there is not much separating on the log going into this clash with Callies sitting 5th and Royal AM placed 7th. Callies are enjoying a scintillating run of results in the league having won their last four matches while in that period Royal AM have won two and lost and drew once.
Maritzburg United vs Sekhukhune United
Date: Friday, 5 February 2021
This is an interesting mach up between Maritzburg United who are struggling in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and Sekhukhune United who are sitting on top of the GladAfrica Championship standings. Maritzburg, who have lost their last three league matches, will have to be careful against this Sekhukhune side who have won three and drew two of the last five matches.
JDR Stars vs Pretoria University
Date: Saturday, 6 February 2021
Another of the many matches between GladAfrica Championship teams and here you have two teams that are enjoying contrasting fortunes on the GladAfrica Championship log. JDR are one of the early pacesetters as they are sitting 3rd place and Tuks are struggling at the bottom half of the table after an inconsistent start to the campaign.
TS Galaxy vs TS Sporting
Date: Saturday, 6 February 2021
You can call this clash the battle of the TS. TS Galaxy will go into this clash as slight favourites because of their PSL status and they sitting 10th on the table after 14 matches but Sporting will not be pushovers as they will be looking to cause an upset.
Orlando Pirates vs Uthongathi
Date: Saturday, 6 February 2021
The odds are firmly against Uthongathi with Orlando Pirates favourites to have progress to the next round. But, Pirates players will have to be careful against this industrious Uthongathi side that is among the early pacesetters in the GladAfrica Championship so far this season.
Cape Town City vs Bloemfontein Celtic
Date: Saturday, 6 February 2021
This is one of the most unpredictable matches of this Nedbank Cup round because it has potential to go either way. City have had a good start to PSL season as they are sitting 5th place on the log with 23 points from 14 matches while Celtic are placed a lowly 12th after a slow start to their campaign.
Golden Arrows vs AmaZulu
Date: Saturday, 6 February 2021
The KwaZuLu-Natal derby has the potential to be exciting because coach Benni McCarthy of AmaZulu and Mandla Ncikazi of Golden Arrows likes their teams to play free flowing and attacking football. They have both started the season well in the PSL with Arrows occupying position 6th and AmaZulu directly below them on 7th.
Chippa United vs Free State Stars
Date: Sunday, 7 February 2021
This is a potential banana skin for Chippa United as Free State Stars have shown much improvement in the GladAfrica Championship recently with two successive victories since they appointed Allan Freeze as coach in December. On the other hand, Chippa lost their last league match to Sundowns were they were out of sorts and could have lost by a bigger margin.
Swallows vs Cape United
Date: Sunday, 7 February 2021
The high-flying Swallows will be overwhelming favourites to book a place in the next round against Cape United. Since they returned to the PSL this season, Swallows have captured the imagination of the public with a combination of scintillating football and never say die attitude that has seem them climb to third sport on the log. Swallows and Mamelodi Sundowns are the only teams yet to lose a match in the PSL so far this season.
Jomo Cosmos vs Black Leopards
Date: Sunday, 7 February 2021
This is an encounter that has the potential to excite if the two teams pitch up on the day because they play a similar type of football. Cosmos will fancy their chances as they are on a good run in the GladAfrica Championship where they are 4th on the log against this Leopards side that is struggling at the bottom of the PSL table.
Kaizer Chiefs vs Richards Bay
Date: Sunday, 7 February 2021
For obvious reasons of cup pedigree, Chiefs will be firm favourites to win this match and progress to the next round. But it is not going to be that easy as Richards Bay is one of the form teams in the GladAfrica Championship where they are sitting second on the log and have not lost in their last five matches.
Baroka vs Cape Town Spurs
Date: Monday, 8 February 2021
Baroka have been inconsistent this season in the PSL but they should have enough in the tank and in terms of experience to get the better of struggling Cape Town Spurs who are sitting second from the bottom in the GladAfrica Championship.
Catch the LIVE action on SuperSport and of course, the betting on Betxchange.com.
