Chiefs, Pirates players dream of cup final goal

Players from Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates will hope to go down in local football folklore by scoring a Nedbank Cup final winner when the teams meet in the decider of this year’s competition at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday.

It will be a chance to not only earn their team silverware, but also be remembered for years to come, with cup final heroes living long in the memory.

Kermit Erasmus has three Nedbank Cup final goals to his name, the only player to have managed that number in the decider since 2008.

He is also the only player to have scored for two different clubs in the final, once for SuperSport United in their 2012 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns, before grabbing a brace for Pirates in their 3-1 success against Bidvest Wits two years later.

He is not the only player in the Buccaneers squad looking to add to their final tally though – Pirates midfielder Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo netted the winner for TTM in the 2021 victory over Chippa United, but was then sent off the following year as Marumo Gallants lost to Sundowns. He will also have revenge on his mind.

He could play in the final for a remarkable fifth successive season, a rare feat indeed.

Tapelo Xoxi scored from the penalty spot for Pirates as they beat Sekhukhune United in 2023, while Patrick Maswanganyi and Relebohile Mofokeng were on target as they defeated Sundowns to retain their title last year.

Pirates forward Zakhele Lepasa scored a famous goal for TS Galaxy in the 2019 final while on loan at the then-second-tier side, helping the club to a 1-0 win over Kaizer Chiefs in Durban. But he has not featured for the club this season.

On the Chiefs side, Gaston Sirino will be hoping to become the second player to net for multiple clubs. He scored the winner for Sundowns in the 2020 decider against Bloemfontein Celtic, but has since moved to Chiefs.

30 GOALSCORERS

There have been 30 separate Nedbank Cup final goalscorers down the years, but only five of those have managed more than one strike, while there have also been two unfortunate own goals.

Aside from Erasmus’ three goals, there are four more strikers on two goals, though only one who is still active in the domestic game.

Sifiso Vilakazi netted a brace for Wits as they lifted the title in 2010, while a year later Thulasizwe Mbuyane scored twice for Pirates as they beat Black Leopards 3-1.

The other two are Jeremy Brockie and Bradley Grobler, both for SuperSport United in successive final wins over Pirates in 2016 and 2017. Grobler remains a Matsatsantsa player.

The two own goals, thankfully, did not result in defeats as former Pirates defender Rooi Mahamutsa put the ball into his own net in 2011, but his side still won 3-1 against Leopards, and Clayton Daniels did likewise in the colours of SuperSport against Pirates in 2016. Matsatsantsa claimed a 3-2 victory.

Among the other scorers, notable winners have come from Lerato Chabangu (Sundowns) in 2008 and Goodman Dlamini (Free State Stars) in 2018.

NEDBANK CUP FINAL GOALSCORERS (since 2008)

3 goals – Kermit Erasmus (SuperSport United 1, Orlando Pirates 2)

2 – Jeremy Brockie (SuperSport United), Bradley Grobler (SuperSport United), Thulasizwe Mbuyane (Orlando Pirates), Sifiso Vilakazi (BidVest Wits)

1 – Michael Boxall (SuperSport United), Lerato Chabangu (Mamelodi Sundowns), Isaac Chansa (Orlando Pirates), Vinicius Da Silva (Moroka Swallows), Sede Dion (Marumo Gallants), Terrence Dzvukamanja (Orlando Pirates), Goodman Dlamini (Free State Stars), Zakhele Lepasa (TS Galaxy), Oupa Manyisa (Orlando Pirates), Patrick Maswanganyi (Orlando Pirates), Luvuyo Memela (Orlando Pirates), Relebohile Mofokeng (Orlando Pirates), Thapelo Morena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Sifiso Myeni (Orlando Pirates), Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo (TTM), Kingston Nkhatha (SuperSport United), Bernard Parker (Kaizer Chiefs), Fabricio Rodrigues (BidVest Wits), Thabo September (SuperSport United), Peter Shalulile (Mamelodi Sundowns), Gaston Sirino (Mamelodi Sundowns), Jabulani Shongwe (BidVest Wits), Sibusiso Vilakazi (Sekhukhune United), Tapelo Xoki (Orlando Pirates), Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Own goals – Clayton Daniels (SuperSport United), Rooi Mahamutsa (Orlando Pirates)