The remaining giants of the South African football scene Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns avoided each other once again when the semi-final draw was conducted on April 14.
The Buccaneers were drawn away to face Chippa United while Masandawana were also drawn away to face the in-form team of the moment, Stellenbosch FC. Venues for both matches, including times of kick-off and the dates will be announced later by the Premier Soccer League while the Mbombela Stadium in the Mpumalanga province has been selected as the venue for the 2023/24 Nedbank Cup final which will take place on June 1.
Although there is no final before the final, defending champions Pirates may have avoided quadruple-chasing Brazilians in the semis but there will be no avoiding each other in the final if both of them make it through to Mbombela Stadium.
The Ghosts, as the Mighty Bucs are also known, were clinical in their finishing against a stubborn AmaZulu side in which the Bucs were made to come from behind twice to register their 4–2 win.
On the other hand, the Yellow Machine of Sundowns was stretched to penalties after it was deadlocked 1–1 with minnows AmaTuks and only managed to progress 4–3 on the lottery of penalties.
If the Yellow Machine does not up its game should it manage to go past the high-riding Stellies, it should be prepared for some spooking to come its way from The Ghosts, that is, if they too make it past the Chillie Boys who are playing an interesting brand of football since the arrival of coach Kwanele Kopo.
But both Stellies and the Chillie Boys are not to be undermined in this tournament, especially after they both despatched of giants of this cup. The Rockets have won this cup previously when they were still in the lower league in 2018 when they beat the formerly all-conquering Kaizer Chiefs.
The Nelson Mandela Bay side, the Chillie Boys, may be newcomers to this stage of the competition but they are no push-overs, especially with coach Kopo who seems to have injected a new sense of renewal and confidence in the boys.
Whatever the outcome is in the semi-finals, the soccer-loving public of Mzansi will be in for a treat of soccer talent, be it the Chillie Boys versus Stellies in the final or the Mighty Buccaneers against the now all-conquering Yellow Machine, the old rivalry will be renewed once more.
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