Menzi Magubane
Chippa United and Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila are the first two Premiership teams to book their places in the semi-finals of this season’s Nedbank Cup.
Chilli Boys were the first to progress after beating GladAfrica Championship outfit Richards Bay 2-1 on Saturday at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in East London.
On Sunday night Tshakhuma followed after winning the Vhembe derby against Black Leopards in an all DStv Premiership affair at Thohoyandou Stadium in Limpopo.
Tshakhuma won the match 2-0 to progress to the last four and left Leopards to focus on saving their Premiership status that is slowly slipping away from them.
Chippa and Tshakhuma’s run in this competition has been surprising considering that they are not doing well in the Premiership.
These two are tied in 13th place on the log table with 16 points but Chippa is ahead on goal difference.
Only four points separate these two from the bottom of the log.
Before Saturday’s match Chippa lost at home to AmaZulu on Wednesday and that defeat got them closer to the relegation zone.
Tshakhuma too lost their league encounter on Wednesday as they were also beaten at home by high flying Golden Arrows.
They remained in 14th place.
Meanwhile on Sunday afternoon, Pretoria Callies became the only GladAfrica Championship side to make it to this season’s semi-finals.
Callies beat Cape Town All Stars 5-4 on penalties in an all GladAfrica affair at Danie Craven Stadium in Cape Town.
The match ended in a 2-2 draw after extra time with Callies finishing the game with ten men after the sending off of defender Oupa Moeketsi in the second half of extra time.
The other quarter-final match remaining is between cup holders Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates to be played on 15 April.
The winner there will join Chippa, Tshakhuma and Callies in the semi-finals.
Picture source: @KickOffMagazine
