Wits have the upper hand in TKO

Cape Town - Bidvest Wits and SuperSport United will meet in a cup match for the first time in almost a decade when they clash in a Telkom Knockout quarterfinal.

Wits advanced to the last eight of the Telkom Knockout with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Moroka Swallows in the previous round. Jabulani Shongwe, Buhle Mkhwanazi and Vincent Pule netted their goals.

The Johannesburg side has played 13 Telkom Knockout matches since the tournament’s inception in 2006, recording five wins, one draw and seven losses. They lost the one penalty shootout they were involved in.

Wits’ best achievement in the Telkom Knockout era was ending 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).

SuperSport advanced to the last eight of the Telkom Knockout with a narrow 1-0 win over Free State Stars. Former Ea Lla Koto player Dove Wome netted the late winner.

The Tshwane side has played 16 Telkom Knockout matches since the tournament’s inception in 2006, recording seven wins, three draws and six defeats. They have won one of the three penalty shootouts they have been involved in.

Matsatsantsa’s best showing in the Telkom Knockout era is reaching the last four, a feat they have achieved in the past two seasons.

In League Cup history, SuperSport have twice reached the final (2004 & 2005) but lost on both occasions.

In head-to-head stats, Wits and SuperSport have met in seven cup matches since their rivalry began back in 1990.

Matsatsantsa have dominated the cup rivalry, claiming four wins and suffering no outright defeats. The Clever Boys have only once put the Pretoria side out of a cup competition, but that was on penalties.

The teams’ most recent cup meeting was the final of the 2005 Absa Cup. SuperSport United won 1-0, piling further misery on Wits, who were also relegated from the top flight that season.

Overall, the teams have met in 52 matches across all competition since 1990.

Matsatsantsa have 18 wins compared to 13 for the Clever Boys, while 21 matches have been drawn.

Wits have won just six of their 23 home matches against SuperSport down the years, suffering six defeats in the process.

Three of the teams’ last five matches have ended in draws, but the Clever Boys have won the other two, including a 1-0 win on the opening weekend of this season’s league campaign.

Kick-off is scheduled for 15:00 at Bidvest Stadium on Saturday, October 25.