Nedbank Cup: Royal AM Upsets Cape Town City to Make It Through to the Last 16

Nedbank Cup: Royal AM Upsets Cape Town City to Make It Through to the Last 16

Keba Mothoagae
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:55 PM
  • Royal AM did enough to edge Cape Town City in a good Nedbank Cup tie against Cape Town City at the Chatsworth Stadium in Durban
  • AM defeated the Cityzens 2-1 in the first ever cup match between both teams
  • This sees them become on of the 16 teams headed into the next round of the competition

Royal AM progressed to the Nedbank Cup round of 16 after they came from an early goal down to beat Cape Town City 2-1 at Chatsworth Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

John Maduka's side went behind as early as the ninth minute when Khanyisa Mayo struck for the Citizens to give them the lead at halftime, but an own-goal from Katlego Mokhuoane on 50 minutes leveled matters and Lantshene Phalane completed the comeback win four minutes later.

nedbank cup, royal am, mamkhize, shauwn mkhize, cape town city, dstv premiership
Royal AM edged past Cape Town City in Chatsworth. Image source: capetowncityfc/Instagram
Source: Getty Images

As reported on Supersport.com, the first-ever cup-tie between the two clubs was an action-packed affair, with Thwihli Thwahla having the first sight at goal on eight minutes when Victor Letsoalo collected a cross inside the box and fired wide of the right post.

However, City would open the scoring from their first chance moments later as Mayo received the ball from Thamsanqa Mkhize and finished into the top-left corner of the net from inside the area.

The visitors threatened to double their lead twice around the quarter-hour mark, with Craig Martin failing to keep his header down from Terrence Mashego's cross before Tashreeq Morris pulled his shot just wide of the left post from inside the box.

Thabo Matlaba was just unable to pick out the far corner with a strike on the left that went narrowly wide of the right post on 21 minutes, while at the other end of the pitch Mduduzi Mdatsene got on the end of Martin's cross but steered his header over the crossbar in the 25th minute.

The KZN outfit pushed for an equaliser before the break and Thato Lingwati attempted to beat Hugo Marques at his near post from a tight angle on 38 minutes but shot wide before Tebogo Potsane tested the City keeper with an effort from range six minutes later.

It took the hosts just nine second-half minutes to turn the tie on its head. They were level on 50 minutes when Mokhuoane inadvertently put the ball into the back of his own net and Phalane then picked out the top-left corner of the goal from a direct free-kick four minutes later.

Royal AM had their tails up now and both Letsoalo and Potsane went close with shots from inside the box that missed to the left of the goal.

Eric Tinkler's men were limited to shots from distance in the closing stages, with Mokhuoane and substitute Jaeden Rhodes both guilty of failing to hit the target as Thwihli Thwahla held on to advance to the next round of the tournament.

Nedbank Cup: Baroka FC marches into the winelands to edge out Stellenbosch FC, advance to Last 16

Baroka FC edged out Stellenbosch FC 1-0 in the Nedbank Cup Last 32 match at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch on Friday evening.

As reported by Sports Brief, Bakgaga Ba Mphahlele advanced to the Last 16 of the South African FA Cup, while Stellies bowed out of the tournament.

As reported on Supersport.com, Stellies were the better side in the opening exchanges with Junior Mendieta being a constant threat to Bakgaga Ba Mphahlele's defence.

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Keba Mothoagae
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DStv PremiershipSouth Africa