Nedbank Cup Euphoria Continues

The 2013 Nedbank Cup round of 16 draw held today has intensified the excitement and suspense as the remaining Premier Soccer League teams wearily eye their lower division contenders for the coveted R 7 million for the winners.

The Last 16 draw follows the thrilling first round matches which ended on 27 February 2013; where arguably one of the biggest upset in the history of the Nedbank Cup took place when Orlando Pirates lost 4-1 to SAFA Second Division side Maluti FET College.

“We hope to learn and grow from this game and use this experience to take the club forward. The Nedbank Cup gives you the platform to be known across the country and that is what has happened now. But we also want to see this side go up to the next division and develop as a team so that one day maybe we will play Pirates every season.” Said Maluti FET College coach Morena Ramoreboli.

NFD side, Polokwane City scored the most number of goals in the first round after beating KwaZulu-Natal SAFA Second Division side, Island FC 7-2; Puleng Tlolane scoring the only hat-trick of the last 32.

“Just like the bank itself, the Nedbank Cup enables South Africans to live their dreams. Maluti FET College showed that the spirit of this competition is very much alive and their performance will have given hope to footballers the length and breadth of South Africa, at all levels of the game. They proved that no matter who or what the opposition is; guts, determination, and being part of the right team can help you achieve the seemingly impossible,” said Andy Scott, Head of Sponsorships at Nedbank.

PSL Acting CEO, Cambridge Mokanyane added: “The round of last 32 produced thrilling football and a plethora of goals. We look forward to more exciting football in the next stages of the Nedbank Cup.

The Nedbank Cup will also continue to benefit schools and communities around the country.  For the 2013 season, the bank will donate R8 000 per goal scored towards the Nedbank Cup Goals4Goals campaign.  In total, R1 million will go towards the establishment of a multipurpose Sport Court for a school in South Africa. A further R1 million will be used for soccer kit donations and soccer training to 100 schools across the country as part of sports development.

Remaining true to its core business and its goal of being a bank for all; the bank will also utilise the Nedbank Cup platform as a vehicle to further engage with the mass market and to educate South Africans on various financial matters.

Nedbank has this year launched an exciting initiative whereby they are calling upon all amateur soccer players to challenge the next Nedbank Cup Champions. South African males between the ages of 18 and 35 will be encouraged to look out for the regional try-outs wherein they can audition as amateurs to be a team member of the Nedbank Ke Yona team. The try-outs will be broadcast on television where South Africans will have an opportunity to follow the progress of the Nedbank Ke Yona team.

Below is the Draw for the round of Last 16:

HOME	AWAY
Black Leopards	Platinum Stars
Free State Stars	Bloemfontein Celtic
Mamelodi Sundowns	Golden Arrows
Vasco da Gama	SuperSport United
Kaizer Chiefs	Polokwane City
Jomo Cosmos	United FC
Tembu Royals	Maritzburg United
Africans Warriors	Maluti FET College