The Carling Knockout Cup quarterfinal draw was released on Wednesday and it kept South Africa’s top three Gauteng clubs apart. Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns cannot meet each other until the semi-finals because of the seeded draw. This means the big guns will have a clearer path to the last four if they can get past their next opponents.

The fixtures are:

Stellenbosch FC will face AmaZulu FC.

Orlando Pirates will play Sekhukhune United.

Kaizer Chiefs will host Siwelele FC.

Mamelodi Sundowns will meet Golden Arrows.

The seeded format was designed to protect the stronger teams from early clashes. Fans will now watch to see which of the big three can reach the semi-finals and set up the bigger matches later in the competition.

Orlando Pirates, the defending champions, take on Sekhukhune United. The Bucs moved through after beating Milford FC 3-0 in the first round. Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou was not happy with his players’ performance on the night even though they won comfortably. He will want a stronger showing against Sekhukhune.

Kaizer Chiefs host Siwelele FC. Amakhosi ended a five-game winless run when Wandile Duba scored a hat-trick against TS Galaxy. Coach Fernando Da Cruz will hope the result has given his players fresh confidence going into this knockout game.

Mamelodi Sundowns face Golden Arrows. Sundowns edged past Gallants 1-0 to reach the quarterfinals. Arrows are under new coach Mandla Ncikazi, the former Orlando Pirates co-coach who has just returned to Abafana Bes’thende. Miguel Cardoso’s side will know the coach well from his previous work in Gauteng.

Stellenbosch FC, the 2023 champions under Gavin Hunt, take on AmaZulu. AmaZulu are in good form in the league under Arthur Zwane. This match gives both sides a chance to reach the semi-finals and keep their cup hopes alive.

The draw has created clear paths for the big three while giving the other teams a fair chance. Supporters will now look forward to the quarterfinal matches to see which clubs can book their places in the last four of the Carling Knockout Cup.

Source: https://x.com/MDNnewss/status/2115522263533441497