Lower league ‘spaza shops’ lick lips at chance to embarrass PSL’s giants in Nedbank Cup

The draw for the first round of the Nedbank Cup takes place on Thursday night and in the pot will be the names of the third and fourth-tier sides hoping to be the next giant-killers of South African football.

The minnows of the local game will be hoping to draw one of the big guns and recent history has shown lower league sides need to be treated with respect.

Baroka FC‚ when they were campaigning in the ABC Motsepe League‚ defeated Kaizer Chiefs in the 2011 quarterfinals‚ and two years later Maluti FET College walloped Orlando Pirates 4-1.

Two years ago Natal United caused a shock when they beat Chippa United in the Last 32 in 2015‚ while third-tier Temba Royals also shocked then top-flight AmaZulu four years ago.

So the examples of upsets are plentiful and any of the big guns will be wary of facing teams they will know little to nothing about.

There are seven teams from the Safa structures confirmed to take part in Thursday’s draw‚ with a dispute between Limpopo qualifiers Mariveni United and Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila FC still to be resolved.

Times Media Digital gives the lowdown on the other minnow teams to have qualified for the Last 32.

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ACORNBUSH UNITED

The Mpumalanga-based club are coached by former Jomo Cosmos assistant MacDonald Makhubedu and are based in Kabokweni near Nelspruit.

They have a few notable names in their squad‚ including former Mpumalanga Black Aces‚ Free State Stars and Jomo Cosmos forward Madoda Motha‚ as well as Mlungisi Nkosi from Mbombela United.

The team’s name is derived from an amalgamation of two local communities‚ Acornhoek and Bushbuckridge and was formed in 1987.

AFRICAN ALL STARS

All Stars are returning to the Nedbank Cup Last 32 after losing 2-0 in this round to Polokwane City last year.

The ambitious Gauteng side are coached by Christian Xaba‚ and count among their leading players former Mpumalanga Black Aces midfielder Sechaba Mmuso‚ who helped AmaZayoni to the quarterfinals of the Nedbank Cup in 2010.

The team uses Tsakane Stadium as their home venue‚ where they enjoy considerable support from the communities of Tsakane‚ Duduza and Kwathema.

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BUYA MSUTHU

The North West province ABC Motsepe League side are coached by former Orlando Pirates assistant Teboho Moloi and play out of the Olympia Park venue in Rustenburg.

The club have on their books former Baroka FC and Cape Town All Stars player Tshepo Sediti‚ as well as a number of players from Botswana.

The club was formed just two years ago when the owners purchased the status of Junior Brothers.

DAYS FC

Days FC campaign in the fourth tier of South African football and hail from Odendaal in the Free State province.

The club are owned and coached by Jonas Molefi‚ and this season have recorded 14 wins and a draw from their 15 SAB League matches.

Molefi has owned the team since 2010 but they have been in existence for 23 years‚ with the squad made up almost entirely of players from the areas surrounding Welkom.

• 'Postponing fixtures to accommodate Afcon was the right thing to do' - PSLThe break for the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Gabon is one of the major reasons for the fixture congestion in the Premier Soccer League calendar this year that could have a major bearing on the destination of the league title. 

EASTERN CAPE BEES FC

The Bees make a return to the Nedbank Cup this year having lost in the Last 32 in 2016‚ beaten 2-1 by Magesi FC.

They hail from Bisho in the Eastern Cape‚ but as their home venue does not have the necessary facilities to host Premier Soccer League games‚ are likely to move their fixture to East London if drawn at home this year.

Coach Chippa Jongo remains in charge from their 2016 campaign and he is assisted by former Bafana Bafana defender Mokete Tsotetsi.

Their most well-known current player is experienced forward Welcome Qalanto‚ who played in the Premier League with Chippa United and Lamontville Golden Arrows.

KWADUKUZA UNITED

Veteran coach Thami Ngubane is in charge of this KwaZulu-Natal third-tier side who were formed just last year when the status of Natal United was bought and the club relocated to KwaDukuza.

United defeated Chippa United on penalties in the 2015 Nedbank Cup to cause a major shock‚ and much of that squad remains.

The club‚ known as the ‘Black Jaguars’‚ are currently in the lower half of the ABC Motsepe League as they juggle league fixtures with their commitments in the Nedbank Cup.

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UNITED ROVERS FC

United Rovers are another side who campaigned in the Nedbank Cup Last-32 in 2016 but were hammered 7-0 by Mpumalanga Black Aces.

They are from the fourth-tier of South African football and come from De Aar in the Northern Cape.

Some sparkling form under coach Freddy Oliphant has not only seen them reach the Nedbank Cup Last-32 again‚ but also win their first 11 games of the SAB League season.

All of their players are from local communities.

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport