The 2018 event - which includes all 16 Absa Premiership teams, eight lower league teams and eight NFD teams - officially begins today with two NFD showdowns, with six more scheduled for Wednesday.
Super Eagles will be looking for revenge against Black Leopards in their qualifier on Tuesday afternoon, having lost 2-1 in a league encounter against Lidoda Duvha at the end of November. Eagles have won just two of their last seven games to sit 12th in the league, while Leopards sit mid-table in ninth, and enter the fixture on the back of a four-match unbeaten run. Leopards memorably made the final of the 2011 Nedbank Cup, losing 3-1 to Orlando Pirates.
Jomo Cosmos will back themselves to do the business against an Ubuntu Cape Town side that has recorded just one win the entire season and sit joint-bottom of the NFD log, while Ezenkhosi – who are unbeaten at home all season – sit second. Cosmos’ last loss came eight match days ago in mid-October, and played out a 1-1 draw with their Cup opponents when they met in the league in September.
Mid-table Witbank Spurs, who lie eighth in the standings, will be favourites against bottom-placed Richards Bay, who last won a match in September. Spurs are unbeaten in seven games, though five have been draws, and drew 0-0 in the league with their KZN counterparts last month. Spurs have twice been knocked out in the Round of 16.
It’s all to play for in this Nedbank Cup qualifier, as both Mthatha Bucks and Uthongathi will look to put their woeful league form aside. Bucks have lost their last four games in a row, and sit 13th on the log, while Uthongathi – three points ahead in 11th – have just one win in their last seven games, and are yet to secure victory on the road this season. Bucks will take confidence from their 2-1 win over the ABC Motsepe League champions in their league meeting in September.
Royal Eagles vs University of Pretoria (Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium)
It’s a David-vs-Goliath clash at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium as third-placed University of Pretoria travel to third-from-bottom Royal Eagles. Tuks have three victories in their last five games, while Eagles have not won in seven matches, losing four of those to languish just above the relegation zone. Losing finalists in the 2009 Nedbank Cup, Tuks have already beaten Eagles once this season, edging their rivals 2-1 in their league match-up in September.
Pace-setters Highlands Park will hope their impressive league form serves them well in their qualifier against Real Kings. The Lions of the North haven’t lost in nine games and sit top of the table, four points ahead of second-placed Jomo Cosmos. Kings, meanwhile, have been in solid form themselves, losing just one of their last six games, while putting five past Tshakhuma in their last league encounter to sit sixth on the log. The two sides, both of whom have never progressed past the first round of the Nedbank Cup, drew 1-1 in their league encounter earlier this season.