KZN History! Durban City Overcome TS Galaxy To Secure Nedbank Cup

Durban City claimed their first major trophy after coming from behind to beat TS Galaxy 2–1 and lift the Nedbank Cup at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday.

With the victory, City have qualified for next season’s CAF Confederation Cup, alongside the team that will finish third in the Betway Premiership—currently likely to be Kaizer Chiefs.

This was City’s second Nedbank Cup final, having previously lost in the 2017/18 season to the now-defunct Free State Stars. They also finished as runners-up in the Telkom Knockout in the 2019/20 season, losing to Mamelodi Sundowns. At that time, they were known as the Maritzburg United.

City entered the match as favourites, having beaten Galaxy 2–0 in both league encounters this season without conceding.

Of the four matches City played en route to the final, three were decided by penalty shootouts. Even their semi-final victory over Casric Stars came via an own goal. In contrast, Galaxy reached the final with wins over Marumo Gallants and Mamelodi Sundowns, without requiring penalties in any of their four matches.

Galaxy also approached the final under new leadership after Adnan Beganovic was dismissed and replaced by Bernard Parker.

Parker had previously won this competition as a player with Kaizer Chiefs in the 2012/13 season, scoring the winning goal against SuperSport United at Moses Mabhida Stadium. Ironically, he was part of the Chiefs side that lost to Galaxy in the 2019 final at the same venue, when the Mpumalanga outfit became the first team from the Motsepe Foundation Championship to win the competition.

He was aiming to become the first person to win the Nedbank Cup as both a player and a coach.

City left-back Terrence Mashego was also part of that historic Galaxy team and was named Young Player of the Tournament.

Galaxy created the first clear chance just before the hour mark, but Victor Letsoalo fired wide from close range when he should have done better.

They eventually took the lead in the 43rd minute when Jean Lwamba, under pressure from Seluleko Mahlambi, turned the ball into his own net after Darren Keet had parried it into play.

City responded in the 58th minute, as Trevor Mokwena squared the ball for Mfanafuthi Mkhize, who had pushed forward from defence to score from close range at the back post and make it 1–1.

The turnaround was completed in the 71st minute when Luphumlo Sifumba set up Lwamba, who made amends by finishing clinically with the outside of his foot to beat Ira Tape from just outside the box.

City chairman Farook Kadodia and the club’s directors erupted in celebration in the VIP area as their side took the lead.

City held on to secure a historic victory, becoming the first KwaZulu-Natal club to win the competition. It also marked the first major trophy for caretaker coach Pitso Dladla, who took charge in February in his second stint as interim coach this season.

Dladla previously guided Richards Bay to promotion in the 2021/22 season.

For some players, this final may have been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; for others, there may be more to come. Such is the nature of cup finals.