PIC: Milford FC defeated Sekhukhune United on penalties in the quarter-finals

The quarter-finals of the 2026 Nedbank Cup produced two shock results, with second-tier sides Casric Stars and Milford FC overcoming top-flight teams AmaZulu and Sekhukhune United respectively.
We look back at the numbers from this round and the competition to date.

0 – Durban City advanced to the semi-finals of the 2026 Nedbank Cup despite not winning a game outright in this year’s competition. For the third time in a row, they needed penalties to advance, beating local rivals Lamontville Golden Arrows via spot-kicks. In the previous two rounds, they edged Chippa United and Upington City on penalties. If you include their quarter-final defeat to Marumo Gallants in 2025, their last four Nedbank Cup ties have all been decided via spot-kicks.

1 – When Igor Silva and Tshepo Kakora scored for TS Galaxy in their 2-0 win over Jacksa Spears, both netted their maiden goals for the club after joining at the start of the season.

2 – The most goals scored by a player in the Nedbank Cup this season remains two, shared by TJ Diedericks (CR Vasco da Gama), Pule Ekstein (AmaZulu), Lundi Mahala (Richards Bay), Moeti Mofokeng (Jacksa Spears), Thuso Mogale (Casric Stars) and Bradley Mojela (Sekhukhune United).

3 – Three of the four quarter-final ties went to extra-time, and two of those went to penalties. Only TS Galaxy’s 2-0 win over third-tier Jacksa Spears was settled in ordinary time. Overall this season, 13 of the 28 ties (46%) have gone to extra-time, and nine (32%) have gone to penalties.

3 – Three teams will be appearing in the Nedbank Cup semi-finals for the first time: Durban City, Casric Stars and Milford FC. Only former winners TS Galaxy (2019) have reached the last four before.

3 – This year is only the third time since 2008 that two second-tier sides have reached the semi-finals, following the success of Casric Stars and Milford FC. The others were Black Leopards and the University of Pretoria in 2009, and Black Leopards and Baroka FC (third tier) in 2011.

4 – The quickest goal of the round was scored by Milford FC’s Cheswyn Philander, who netted against Sekhukhune United inside four minutes. It was his fifth goal of the season in all competitions for the Stellenbosch FC youngster, who is on loan at the club.

4 – Jacksa Spears became the fourth amateur side to reach the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals since 2008, after Baroka FC (2011), Summerfield Dynamos (2022) and Dondol Stars (2023). They are the first team from the Northern Cape to do so.

5 – Lamontville Golden Arrows had a familiar feeling in their penalty shoot-out loss to Durban City. They have now been involved in five shoot-outs in the Nedbank Cup since 2008 and have lost every one.

6 – The most goals scored in a single game in the Nedbank Cup this season is six, which has happened on two occasions. Jacksa Spears beat FC Cardinals 4-2 in the Last 32, and Siwelele and Richards Bay played to a thrilling 3-3 draw, also in the first round. Richards Bay advanced on penalties.

7 – March 7 was the date of this year’s first two semi-finals, the earliest in the season that the last-four matches have ever been played. This year’s competition has been brought forward due to the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the end of the campaign.

13 – Casric Stars and Milford FC take the total number of lower-league clubs to have reached the Nedbank Cup semi-finals since 2008 to 13.

11 – There were 11 goals scored in the four quarter-final matches this year, up from nine in 2025. Eight seasons have seen more goals scored at this stage since 2008, with 2022 the highest at 16 goals.

59 – There have been 59 different goalscorers in the Nedbank Cup this season, and still just the one own goal, from Richards Bay’s Thabani Zuke.

66 – There have been 66 goals scored in the 28 matches in the Nedbank Cup so far this season, an average of 2.36 per game. It has proven to be a season with more tight contests than in the past.