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Cape Town - Bidvest Wits and Moroka Swallows will battle for a place in the quarterfinals of the 2014 Telkom Knockout when they meet at Bidvest Stadium on Friday.
Read: 'Worst' situation for Swallows
Gavin Hunt’s charges come into the game off the back of a 2-0 home league win over AmaZulu, a second victory from their last three matches.
Wits were eliminated from the 2013 Telkom Knockout in the last 16 after a shock 3-2 loss at home to Golden Arrows, who would go on to be relegated from the PSL that season.
The Johannesburg side has played 12 Telkom Knockout matches since the tournament’s inception in 2006, recording four wins, one draw and seven losses. They lost the only penalty shootout that they have been involved in.
Wits best achievement in the Telkom Knockout era was when the Clever Boys ended as runners-up in 2011/12. They lost 3-1 to Orlando Pirates in the final.
In League Cup history, Wits are two-time winners of the tournament (1985 & 1995) and have been runners-up twice (1983 & 2011).
Zeca Marques’ side, in contrast, lost 3-2 away to Free State Stars on the weekend. It was the Soweto club’s fourth defeat from their last five matches.
In League Cup history, Wits are two-time winners of the tournament (1985 & 1995) and have been runners-up twice (1983 & 2011).
Swallows reached the quarterfinals of last year’s Telkom Knockout before they were beaten 3-1 by SuperSport United.
The Sowetan side has played 12 Telkom Knockout matches since the tournament’s inception in 2006, recording four wins, two draws and six defeats. Swallows have lost both matches where the lottery of penalty shootouts has been called upon to decide the outcome.
The Dube Birds best showing in the Telkom Knockout era is reaching the quarterfinals, a feat they have achieved four times (2006/07, 2008/09, 2011/12 & 2013/14).
In League Cup history, Swallows have twice reached the final (1986 & 1989), but ended as runners-up on both occasions.
In head-to-head stats, Wits and Swallows have met in 11 cup matches since 1985. The Clever Boys have claimed five wins, the Birds four wins, and two matches have been drawn. The teams have been involved in one penalty shootout which was won 4-3 by the Soweto side.
The teams’ most recent cup clash was in the first round of the 2012 Nedbank Cup: Wits won 1-0 away from home thanks to a goal from Sifiso Vilakazi.
Overall, the teams have clashed in 67 matches across all competition since 1985. The Clever Boys have 28 wins compared to 22 for the Birds, with 17 matches ending in draws.
Wits have won 16 of their 34 home matches against Swallows down the years, suffering 11 defeats in the process.
The University-based side has won the last three successive matches against the Soweto club, including a 3-0 home victory earlier this season.
Kick-off is at 20:00 on Friday, October 3.
