The draw is the most important thing in the Nedbank Cup, according to decorated SuperSport United coach and former Hellenic stalwart Gavin Hunt.
That’s the beauty of this tournament, every team in the competition has a chance to go all the way.
Surprises and upsets are part of the package so even the top teams worry that they won’t be the ones that headline the “David v Goliath” theme the tournament is known for.
#NedbankCup2023 #psl last 32 fixture pic.twitter.com/Hltkexjwsc
— Mega Segagodi🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦![CDATA[]]>💯 (@MegaHuhudi) February 8, 2023
We’ve seen clubs and players put themselves on the map because of this tournament and Hunt is no different with his journey beginning with then-First Division side Seven Stars - who went to merge with Cape Town Spurs to form Ajax Cape Town.
The tournament was called the Bob Save Super Bowl back then, where he remembers having to start the game with less than 11 players at Nyanga Stadium because the team bus overturned on the way to the game.
He recalls on Supabets-powered YouTube channel On the Couch: “Some of them were probably still dizzy but we soldiered on and eventually lost to Mamelodi Sundowns in the semifinals on penalties.”
He would go on to win the title under the Absa banner with Moroka Swallows beating Manning Rangers 3-1 in the 2004 final.
Hunt adds: “It was not a big team (Rangers) because we had already knocked out one of the big teams early on.
“We played Pirates in the first round, and they [the pundits] gave us no chance. We beat them there at Joburg Stadium and then we got to the final and had an easier final and played Manning Rangers in the final.”
The luck of the draw is certainly smiling on SuperSport this year, as they will kick off their cup assignment against Gauteng ABC Motsepe League side Dondol Stars at home today.
The four Cape sides currently in the competition, meanwhile, should also feel fortunate going into their last 32 clashes this weekend.
Cape Town Spurs could not have wished for a better day to welcome NFD peers Baroka to Athlone Stadium on a Friday afternoon.
Next match ⚽⚽⚽⚽
— Baroka Football Club (@Baroka_FC) February 8, 2023
🆚 @CapeTownSpursFC
⏲️15h00
🏟️ Athlone stadium#lennakemoroka #barokafire #Reabowa@GlobalOilSA @Monflair_ZA @golimpopo @goandfunsa @BogartManSA @Baroka_Funerals pic.twitter.com/zGSzyogVYq
If only one could roll back the years to the days when it was possible to close schools early to make sure school kids packed the stadium to back the Urban Warriors, who highly likely have several players from the schools in the area.
I don’t think it’s a good idea in the current climate where so much wrong can happen outside of the school grounds, but one can wish and pray that such things were possible.
The Mother City’s underdog in this year’s competition is ABC outfit Clarewood JPM, who are primed to be this year’s big story.
Although the man who put them there Ashraf Calvert won’t be part of the story anymore after being replaced with Dylan Deane, the Safa Cape District side has every reason to believe they can progress away against their Limpopo peers Mpheni Home Defenders on Saturday.
That same day Stellenbosch will continue to soldier on following the untimely passing of young Oshwin Andries.
They welcome Moroka Swallows who they’ve already beaten 2-1 in the early stages of this season.
They are up against a different kind of Swallows this time around however under Ernst Middendorp.
Head coach Steve Barker says that will play to “go as far as possible” in the competition despite recent struggles that has seen them flirt dangerously with the relegation zone.
Back-to-back wins against local rivals Cape Town City and Chippa United have pushed the Winelands outfit up to 12th with a two-point gap between them and position 15 which is the playoff spot.
The Citizens will be the last of the Cape sides to take to the field on Sunday, against Royal AM at DHL Stadium.
Cup action this Sunday! Back at home 😍
— Cape Town City FC (@CapeTownCityFC) February 8, 2023
🆚 Royal AM (Round of 32)
🗓 Sunday 12 Feb
🕢 18h00
📺 SuperSport 2
🏟 DHL Stadium
🎫 https://t.co/5EsMMnVhU5 (TicketPro) pic.twitter.com/siupAZU01H
Lord knows they needed the break from league action after their inconsistencies once again did them wrong, falling to a 2-0 defeat against Hunt’s SuperSport on Saturday following the very painful 3-2 derby defeat against Stellies the week before.
I had my money on the Citizens doing something special in the competition with their refreshed squad and very little else to play for in the league besides finishing in the top eight.
I’m not quite sure now, but as Hunt said, anything can happen in such a competition.
What happens in the league stays in the league. This is cup football.
Catch me on On the Couch every Friday at 3pm.