Chiefs to face giant killers

While they managed to avoid rivals Orlando Pirates in the quarterfinals, Kaizer Chiefs received a tricky fixture at the Nedbank Cup draw which was conducted at Melrose Arch on Monday.

The Phefeni Glamour Boys are set to travel to Limpopo to meet Vodacom League outfit Baroka FC in the last eight of the R6-Million competition.

The Polokwane-based Baroka are the surprise package of this year’s tournament and warmed the hearts of many fans with an attractive brand of football when they beat Premiership side Moroka Swallows 2-1 to reach the quarterfinals of the competition.

Although Chiefs have had a dismal run in the league of late, they were at their destructive best when they eliminated defending champions Wits 4-0 in the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup at the weekend.

Amakhosi will aim to add the trophy to their Telkom Knockout success earlier in the season, though they have a dismal record against minnows in this competition having lost to University of Pretoria and FC Cape Town in the previous two editions.

Premier league log leaders Orlando Pirates will take on Free State Stars in the first of two meetings which involve PSL outfits.

The Buccaneers are on course for their most successful season since the inception of the Premier Soccer League in 1996, and are in search of a treble this season as they hope to add the league championship and Nedbank Cup to their MTN8 triumph earlier in the campaign.

“Its always challenging to face Stars, they have the ability of performing well against so-called big teams,” said Pirates midfielder Mark Mayambela.

“To be honest, it really doesn’t matter who you draw in Cup competitions, it could have been a minor team or it could have been Chiefs, the quarterfinal round was always going to be difficult, and whoever we face we are still expected to produce a result.”

The remaining two matches see AmaZulu tackle Mpumalanga Black Aces at home, while Vasco da Gama visit First Division team Black Leopards.

The venues for these four matches are set to be announced by the league on Tuesday.

Nedbank Cup draw: Baroka FC v Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates v Free State Stars, Black Leopards v Vasco da Gama, AmaZulu v Mpumalanga Black Aces