Analyzing the Nedbank Cup Semi-Finals: A Statistical Overview Highlighting Multiple ‘Firsts’ for the Tournament

City narrowly overcame Casric Stars from the second tier with a 1-0 victory, while Galaxy triumphed over lower-league side Milford FC after a dramatic penalty shoot-out, having finished 1-1 after extra time.

Let’s delve into the statistics from the semi-finals and the 2026 tournament so far.

0 – The aspirations of both second-tier clubs were dashed in the 2026 semi-finals, ensuring neither will compete in the final on May 2. Although Casric Stars and Milford FC faced heartbreak in the last four, they can reflect on a commendable campaign.

0 – Durban City has never claimed a major title in their history, whether in their current iteration or as Maritzburg United. They faced defeat in the 2018 Nedbank Cup final and the 2019 Telkom Knockout final. Will third time be the charm?

1 – One of the coaches, Adnan Beganovic of Galaxy or Pitso Dladla of Durban City, will secure their first piece of silverware as they prepare to lift the Nedbank Cup on May 2.

1 – This was Milford FC’s first experience of a penalty shoot-out in the Nedbank Cup, suffering a 4-3 defeat on penalties to TS Galaxy. It marked the fourth penalty shoot-out in their history, having previously triumphed in all three.

1 – The sole goal conceded by Galaxy in their semi-final against Milford FC marked the first time they had conceded during the 2026 Nedbank Cup campaign.

1 – In the 2026 Nedbank Cup final, Galaxy will be pitted against Durban City. Their only other encounter in this tournament was in 2025, where City, as a second-tier team, secured a 2-1 victory over Galaxy in the Last 16.

2 – This will be Galaxy’s second appearance in the Nedbank Cup final. They previously reached the final in 2019 as a second-tier side, famously defeating Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 in Durban with a penalty from Zakhele Lepasa, making them the only lower-league team to win the trophy.

2 – Durban City is also preparing for their second Nedbank Cup final, although last time, in 2018, they played as Maritzburg United. They lost 1-0 to Free State Stars, with Goodman Dlamini scoring the deciding goal in Cape Town. Ironically, Free State Stars later sold their franchise to Casric Stars, the very team Durban City defeated in this year’s semi-finals.

2 – Victor Letsoalo scored for Galaxy against Milford FC, marking his second goal of the 2026 campaign. He now joins seven other players atop the scorers’ chart this season, including TJ Diedericks (CR Vasco da Gama), Pule Ekstein (AmaZulu), Lundi Mahala (Richards Bay), Moeti Mofokeng (Jacksa Spears), Thuso Mogale (Casric Stars), Bradley Mojela (Sekhukhune United), and Siphosethu Ndlabi (Milford).

2 – Casric Stars were unable to score in their 1-0 defeat, marking only the second time they have been held scoreless in their six Nedbank Cup matches. The other instance was in the Last 16 against Orlando Pirates, where they drew 0-0 but advanced on penalties.

2 – Siphosethu Ndlabi found the net for Milford against Galaxy, notching his second goal of the Nedbank Cup. This ties him with Menzi Chili as the club’s all-time leading scorer in the tournament.

3 – Durban City and Galaxy, the finalists, have faced each other three times before in various competitions, with City winning each encounter. In addition to their 2-1 win over Galaxy in the 2025 Nedbank Cup, they defeated them 2-0 on both league meetings this season.

3 – Milford exit the tournament after recording three draws and just one win in their four matches, meaning they did not experience any outright losses. They won two penalty shoot-outs but lost one, being eliminated by Galaxy in the semi-finals.

3 – Milford’s 3-0 victory over Mkhambathi in the Last 16 marks their largest and only win in the Nedbank Cup after four seasons of participation.

3 – Casric Stars had previously bested top-flight teams like Orlando Pirates (Last 16) and AmaZulu (quarter-finals) but were unable to secure a third victory against Durban City, falling 1-0 in the semi-finals.

10 – The penalty shoot-out between Galaxy and Milford was the tenth instance this season in the Nedbank Cup where penalties were necessary to resolve a tie. This sets a new record for the competition, surpassing the previous high of nine shoot-outs in 2021. Fourteen matches this season have also gone to extra time, another new record.

69 – A total of 69 goals have been scored in the Nedbank Cup this season across 30 matches, averaging 2.30 goals per game.

450 – Durban City goalkeeper Darren Keet and defender Siphamandla Ncanana have both logged over 450 minutes on the pitch during this year’s Nedbank Cup, the highest for any player in the tournament.