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Cape Town - Chippa United and SuperSport United will have their first ever knockout meeting as they battle for a place in the final of the Nedbank Cup.
The teams will meet at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium on May 20, kick-off at 15:00.
Chippa have progressed into the semi-finals of the Nedbank Cup for the first time in their history, with the Eastern Cape club claiming victories over Witbank Spurs, Polokwane City and Jomo Cosmos in the last 32 last 16 and quarter-finals respectively.
The Chilli Boys’ run to the final four has come amidst a barren stretch of results in the top flight league, where they have slipped from top eight contenders to relegation candidates, though a big league win in midweek (over their semi-final opponents) has given them strong hope of survival.
SuperSport, the defending champions and four-time winners of the competition, are on course to become the first team to win back-to-back Nedbank Cup titles since Santos, who claimed the trophy in the 2001 and 2003 editions (there was no National Cup staged in 2002).
Matsatsantsa defeated Royal Eagles and KwaDukuza United in the last 32 and last 16 respectively, before edging out ‘Cup Kings’ Kaizer Chiefs in the quarter-finals. Stuart Baxter’s side played to a 1-1 draw against his former employers before winning 5-3 on post-match penalties.
This will be the first cup meeting of Chippa and SuperSport, thought the teams have met eight times in the league since the Eastern Cape side was promoted back in 2012/13. In that sequence, United have claimed four wins compared to just one for the Chilli Boys.
However, it is significant to note that Chippa’s lone victory arrived on Wednesday night, as they defeated a 10-man United 3-0 thanks to a hat-trick from Rhulani Manzini.
The victory was certainly an important one as far as their league prospects are concerned, while United will be thankful that they have an immediate chance for revenge.
