STATS: Kaizer Chiefs’ title defence crumbles at first hurdle

The Nedbank Cup, our own equivalent of the English FA Cup, kicked off this week and immediately sprung a surprise. Kaizer Chiefs, the defending champions, who waited 10 years to win their first trophy in May, travelled to Cape Town to face a Stellenbosch team they have been comfortable beating in recent times. There was hope that like Orlando Pirates before them, Chiefs could successfully defend their crown. Instead, they bowed out at the first hurdle, joining a small group of teams with this unwanted record.

7 – Kaizer Chiefs are the seventh defending champion in PSL history to be eliminated from the FA Cup (BobSave/Absa/Nedbank Cups) at the Last 32 stage.

SuperSport United – 2005/06 and 2017/18

In 2004/5, SuperSport United reached all three domestic finals, beating Chiefs in the SAA Supa 8, and losing to the same opponents in the Coke/League Cup. They beat Wits University 1-0 in the ABSA Cup final to win a second piece of silverware of the season under Pitso Mosimane. The next season, they were also drawn against Kaizer Chiefs in the first round of the ABSA Cup, and lost 3-1, with Tony Tsabedze scoring the only goal. In 2016/17, SuperSport beat Orlando Pirates in the Nedbvank Cup final and the following season were knocked out by Bloemfontein Celtic in the first round.

2 – SuperSport became the first reigning champion to be eliminated twice in the first round.

Kaizer Chiefs – 2006/07 and 2025/26

Having knocked SuperSport out in the first round in 2005/6, Chiefs went on to face lower division City Pillars in the next round. They needed extra time to go past them 5-4, avoiding one of the biggest ever shocks in the competition. A 1-0 win over Black Leopards and a shootout win over Sundowns would set Chiefs up on the way to win the ABSA Cup, beating Pirates on penalties in the final. As defending champions the next season, they were drawn against Golden Arrows. The game was decided by yet another penalty shootout, except this time, it went Arrows’ way.

2 – This week represented the second time Kaizer Chiefs have been eliminated in the first round as defending champions of the competition.

Other teams (Ajax Cape Town, Free State Stars and TS Galaxy)

The mid-200s was full of such instances, where the defending champions failed to reclaim their title. After Chiefs in 2006/7, the mantle was passed onto Ajax Cape Town. Muhsin Ertugral was coach of Ajax Cape Town when they won the 2007 final without conceding a goal. They beat Fidentia Rangers (2-0), and then Wits, Celtic and Santos (all 1-0) in the subsequent rounds. Goals from Bryce Moon and Franklin Cale gave them the title against Sundowns in the final. Then, a year later, the defending champion curse got them. Drawn against Chiefs in the first round, Ajax conceded two extra time goals to exit at the first hurdle.

Most recently, Free State Stars won the 2017/18 Nedbank Cup, and were then eliminated by Richards Bay in the first round of the 2018/19 edition. And then in 2018/19, TS Galaxy beat Kaizer Chiefs to win the Nedbank Cup. Likewise, the joy did not last long, as they were knocked out in the Round of 32 by 2019/20 by Chippa United. They qualify here with an asterisk – as a lower division team they successfully navigated their way past the preliminary round before succumbing to Chippa.

1 – TS Galaxy became the first ever team from the lower divisions to win the Nedbank Cup.