Eastern Cape amateurs Sinenkani have caught the eye of Nedbank Cup ambassador Reneilwe “Yeye” Letsholonyane.
Sinenkani is an Nguni name for “stubbornness” and the club from the Bizana region lived up to their moniker as they caused one of the upsets of the last-32 round by ousting 2018 champions Free State Stars to book their place in the last-16 round.
Sinenkani play in the third-tier ABC Motsepe League and are co-coached by Tshepo Motsoeneng and Vumani Mvundla.
Sibongiseni Mkhize sent shock waves across Bethlehem as he put the amateurs ahead in the second half against Motsoeneng’s former team.
Stars survived defeat by the skin of their teeth after they were awarded a penalty in the dying seconds, which Moeketsi Sekola converted to force extra time and a penalty shoot-out at Goble Park.
The part-timers with no professional fitness and conditioning trainers ran a team from the professional ranks of GladAfrica Championship ragged.
Having watched his teammates convert 10 of their penalty kicks, and nine spot kicks from the opponents whistling past him, Sinenkani keeper Sphamandla Sabela did enough to force a miss from Masixole Nkewan as the amateurs held their nerves to win 10-9 on penalties.
Free State’s ABC Motsepe League side Mathaithai also advanced to the next round after a 2-0 win over fellow third-tier side Northern Cape Professionals and were pitted against 2020 winners Mamelodi Sundowns as the tournament dished out another David vs Goliath clash.
But it was Sinenkani who were drawn against Tshakhuma in the last-16 draw on Monday who caught Letsholonyane’s eye.
“For me Sinenkani is the fixture that stands out,” said Letsholonyane after the draw.
The 39-year-old has a glimmering trophy cabinet from his days with Kaizer Chiefs between 2008 and 2016.
Tshakuma, despite playing a level higher in the GladAfrica Championship and with a few players who have Premiership experience, will not be very intimidating for Sinenkani.
Tshakuma will arrive in Mthatha exhausted from the more than 1,000km trip and Letsholonyane wants them to give it another go against another Premier Soccer League club.
“I just want to see them repeat the character they showed in their match against Stars and see if they can advance to the next round,” said the 2010 Bafana Bafana World Cup squad member.
Siphiwe “Shabba” Tshabalala, Letsholonyane’s former Chiefs and Bafana teammate who is also the cup’s ambassador, said the R7m competition is where dreams are made.
“I think it is a fair draw,” said the 37-year-old Tshabalala.
“At least we are going to have a club from the ABC Motsepe League and the GladAfrica Championship advance to the next round.
“I’m looking forward to exciting encounters. This is the cup of dreams and a tournament that brings excitement.
“That’s where dreams are made and after this tournament we will know some of the new emerging players through this competition.”
There will be at least one amateur team in the quarterfinals after the last-16 draw pitted ABC Motsepe League teams Summerfield Dynamos and Black Eagles against each other.
The draw produced three Premiership affairs with holders Marumo Gallants drawn at home against Orlando Pirates, Swallows at home against Royal AM while Baroka will take a bus trip to Mbombela to face 2019 winners TS Galaxy.
Venda Football Academy and University of Pretoria will be the only GladAfrica Championship affair.
Botshabelo-based ABC Motsepe club Mathaithai will be champing at the bit for their trip to the nation’s capital to test their skills against Sundowns.
Four-month-old North West ABC Motsepe club Black Eagles, who are coached by Kabelo Sibiya, stunned Sivutsa 3-2 in extra time at Royal Bafokeng.
They will travel to Chatsworth for a confrontation with their KwaZulu-Natal third-tier counterparts Summerfield Dynamos, who are coached by Clinton Larsen.
There are eight professional clubs — seven from the top division and four from the first division while Dynamos, Eagles, Mathaithai and Sinenkani are the only amateur teams left in the tournament.
The dates and venues for the last-16 round will be announced by the Premier Soccer League in the coming days.
Last 16 fixtures:
Marumo Gallants vs Orlando Pirates
Mamelodi Sundowns vs Mathaithai
TS Galaxy vs Baroka
Swallows vs Royal AM
Venda Football Academy vs University of Pretoria
Platinum City Rovers vs SuperSport United
Sinenkani vs TTM
Summerfield Dynamos vs Black Eagles
'Yeye' wants amateurs Sinenkani to show character again in last-16 round
Image: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
Eastern Cape amateurs Sinenkani have caught the eye of Nedbank Cup ambassador Reneilwe “Yeye” Letsholonyane.
Sinenkani is an Nguni name for “stubbornness” and the club from the Bizana region lived up to their moniker as they caused one of the upsets of the last-32 round by ousting 2018 champions Free State Stars to book their place in the last-16 round.
Sinenkani play in the third-tier ABC Motsepe League and are co-coached by Tshepo Motsoeneng and Vumani Mvundla.
Sibongiseni Mkhize sent shock waves across Bethlehem as he put the amateurs ahead in the second half against Motsoeneng’s former team.
Stars survived defeat by the skin of their teeth after they were awarded a penalty in the dying seconds, which Moeketsi Sekola converted to force extra time and a penalty shoot-out at Goble Park.
The part-timers with no professional fitness and conditioning trainers ran a team from the professional ranks of GladAfrica Championship ragged.
Having watched his teammates convert 10 of their penalty kicks, and nine spot kicks from the opponents whistling past him, Sinenkani keeper Sphamandla Sabela did enough to force a miss from Masixole Nkewan as the amateurs held their nerves to win 10-9 on penalties.
Free State’s ABC Motsepe League side Mathaithai also advanced to the next round after a 2-0 win over fellow third-tier side Northern Cape Professionals and were pitted against 2020 winners Mamelodi Sundowns as the tournament dished out another David vs Goliath clash.
But it was Sinenkani who were drawn against Tshakhuma in the last-16 draw on Monday who caught Letsholonyane’s eye.
“For me Sinenkani is the fixture that stands out,” said Letsholonyane after the draw.
The 39-year-old has a glimmering trophy cabinet from his days with Kaizer Chiefs between 2008 and 2016.
Tshakuma, despite playing a level higher in the GladAfrica Championship and with a few players who have Premiership experience, will not be very intimidating for Sinenkani.
Tshakuma will arrive in Mthatha exhausted from the more than 1,000km trip and Letsholonyane wants them to give it another go against another Premier Soccer League club.
“I just want to see them repeat the character they showed in their match against Stars and see if they can advance to the next round,” said the 2010 Bafana Bafana World Cup squad member.
Siphiwe “Shabba” Tshabalala, Letsholonyane’s former Chiefs and Bafana teammate who is also the cup’s ambassador, said the R7m competition is where dreams are made.
“I think it is a fair draw,” said the 37-year-old Tshabalala.
“At least we are going to have a club from the ABC Motsepe League and the GladAfrica Championship advance to the next round.
“I’m looking forward to exciting encounters. This is the cup of dreams and a tournament that brings excitement.
“That’s where dreams are made and after this tournament we will know some of the new emerging players through this competition.”
There will be at least one amateur team in the quarterfinals after the last-16 draw pitted ABC Motsepe League teams Summerfield Dynamos and Black Eagles against each other.
The draw produced three Premiership affairs with holders Marumo Gallants drawn at home against Orlando Pirates, Swallows at home against Royal AM while Baroka will take a bus trip to Mbombela to face 2019 winners TS Galaxy.
Venda Football Academy and University of Pretoria will be the only GladAfrica Championship affair.
Botshabelo-based ABC Motsepe club Mathaithai will be champing at the bit for their trip to the nation’s capital to test their skills against Sundowns.
Four-month-old North West ABC Motsepe club Black Eagles, who are coached by Kabelo Sibiya, stunned Sivutsa 3-2 in extra time at Royal Bafokeng.
They will travel to Chatsworth for a confrontation with their KwaZulu-Natal third-tier counterparts Summerfield Dynamos, who are coached by Clinton Larsen.
There are eight professional clubs — seven from the top division and four from the first division while Dynamos, Eagles, Mathaithai and Sinenkani are the only amateur teams left in the tournament.
The dates and venues for the last-16 round will be announced by the Premier Soccer League in the coming days.
Last 16 fixtures:
Marumo Gallants vs Orlando Pirates
Mamelodi Sundowns vs Mathaithai
TS Galaxy vs Baroka
Swallows vs Royal AM
Venda Football Academy vs University of Pretoria
Platinum City Rovers vs SuperSport United
Sinenkani vs TTM
Summerfield Dynamos vs Black Eagles
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