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Cape Town - Free State Stars and Orlando Pirates will meet in the Nedbank Cup for the fourth time this decade when they battle for a place in the quarter-finals on Saturday at James Motlatsi Stadium.
Stars claimed their place in the last 16 thanks to a 2-0 win over fellow PSL side Highlands Park on March 11. The Free State side has never won the Nedbank Cup, though they were runners-up in the 1994 final (as QwaQwa Stars), losing out on the Bob Save Super Bowl (as the competition was known at the time) as they went down 1-0 at the hands of Vaal Professionals.
Pirates defeated lower league minnows EC Bees 3-1 away from home on March 12 to claim their place in this stage of the Nedbank Cup.
The Buccaneers have plenty of pedigree in this competition, having won it eight times (and as recently as 2014). Last season they got as far the final – eliminating the likes of Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns en route - but they were beaten 3-2 by SuperSport United.
This will be the 12th official cup meeting between Stars and Pirates in a head-to-head rivalry which stretches back to 1986.
The Soweto side has claimed five outright wins (including a 4-2 triumph in the semifinals of last season’s Nedbank Cup) compared to two for the Free State side. Each team has also claimed one win apiece via post-match penalties.
Overall, the teams have clashed in 66 matches across all competitions. The Buccaneers have 30 wins compared to 10 for Ea Lla Koto, while 26 matches have been drawn.
The teams' most recent clash was just this past weekend in the top flight league, with Stars claiming a 3-2 home win at the James Motlatsi Stadium thanks to a goals from Moeketsi Sekola, Paulus Masehe and Mohammed Anas.
Kick off is at 20:15.
