Match Facts: AmaZulu vs Cape Town City
This will be the first ever meeting between the two sides in the MTN8 competition and just their second cup clash after AmaZulu ran out 2-0 winners in the Telkom Knockout during the 2019/20 season.
Cape Town City have appeared in every MTN8 competition since the club was formed in 2016. They were beaten finalists in 2017, but returned to the final to lift the trophy the following year. Since then the club has lost in the quarterfinals and will hope to avoid a hat-trick of early exits this time round.
AmaZulu are appearing in the MTN8 competition for just the third time since the formation of the Premier Soccer League in the 1996/97 season. Their first appearance was in 2009/10 when they lost to eventual champions Lamontville Golden Arrows in the semifinals. They appeared again in 2012/13, but exited in the quarterfinals at the hands of Moroka Swallows, who also went on to lift the trophy!
Current AmaZulu coach Benni McCarthy was in charge of Cape Town City when they reached the MTN8 finals in 2017 and 2018. Both were against SuperSport United and both went to penalties, with Matsatsantsa winning the first and City the second. That remains the only piece of silverware for McCarthy as a head coach so far.
When AmaZulu beat City 5-1 in the previous meeting between the clubs in April it was the joint worst defeat in the Cape Town team’s brief history. Those five goals were also the most they have ever conceded in a single match.
City coach Eric Tinkler was in charge of SuperSport United when they beat his current club in the 2017 MTN8 final. Tinkler had just months before left City for Matsatsantsa, having guided the Mother City side to third place in the league in their maiden season, as well as the Telkom Knockout trophy.
AmaZulu and City have met on nine previous occasions, with the Durban-based side leading the head-to-head 5-2, with two draws. They have also outscored their opponents 14-9.
In matches played at AmaZulu, the home side have managed four wins and a single draw in their five previous clashes. They have outscored City 7-2, with the latter seeking to make history with a first win in Durban in this tie.
AmaZulu striker Bongi Ntuli loves playing against City, he has scored five goals in his last four appearances against the team and will be raring to go having missed much of last season.
AmaZulu have not won a major trophy in 29 years, since the 1992 Coca-Cola Cup.
ALL PREVIOUS MEETINGS
2017/18
City 1 (Putsche) AmaZulu 0
AmaZulu 1 (Gumede) City 0
2018/19
City 3 (Fielies, Mthembu, Nodada) AmaZulu 0
AmaZulu 1 (Xoki) City 0
Telkom Knockout Last 16 – AmaZulu 2 (Tade, Ntuli) City 0
2019/20
AmaZulu 2 (Ntuli 2) City 1 (Mbatha of)
City 2 (Ralani, Putsche) AmaZulu 2 (Ntuli 2)
2020/21
AmaZulu 1 (Majoro pen) City 1 (Agyemang)
City 1 (F.Lakay) AmaZulu 5 (Mulenga, Xoki pen, Majoro, Memela pen, Sithebe)