Five Essential Insights Before the TS Galaxy vs. Milford FC Nedbank Cup Semi-Final

While Galaxy are considered the favourites, the unpredictable nature of this year’s Nedbank Cup means that anything could happen.

Here are five key points to consider before the match.

Strong Defensive Record

TS Galaxy are yet to concede a goal in the 2026 Nedbank Cup, having secured clean sheets in all three of their matches against Marumo Gallants (1-0), Mamelodi Sundowns (2-0), and Jacksa Spears (2-0).

Remarkably, they have managed clean sheets in 10 of their last 19 Nedbank Cup matches, a statistic bolstered by their 2019 final victory over Kaizer Chiefs, where they won 1-0 thanks to a late penalty from Zakhele Lepasa.

In their last five matches, Galaxy have recorded four clean sheets, including a dominant 7-0 victory against Vasco da Gama in the 2025 Last 32, followed by a surprising 2-1 loss to second-tier side Durban City in the subsequent round.

Milford FC, on the other hand, have only managed two clean sheets in their seven Nedbank Cup matches, including one this year during a 3-0 win over third-tier team Mkhambathi. The other clean sheet came in 2024, when they eliminated Chiefs on penalties following a 0-0 draw.

Penalties: A Tale of Two Teams

Milford have relied on penalties to progress in two of their three matches in the 2026 Nedbank Cup, first defeating SSU M17 in the Last 32 after a 1-1 draw, and then Sekhukhune United in the quarter-finals after a 2-2 finish.

In 2024, they also triumphed over Kaizer Chiefs on penalties in the Last 32, giving them a perfect record in shoot-outs, having won all three they’ve participated in. This impressive achievement highlights the unpredictable nature of penalties, often seen as a lottery.

Conversely, TS Galaxy have participated in two shoot-outs and unfortunately lost both, first to TS Sporting in 2021 and Baroka FC in 2022. Nevertheless, Galaxy have seldom been taken to penalties, with only two occurrences in their 19 Nedbank Cup games.

Home Advantage

All four of Galaxy’s matches in the 2026 Nedbank Cup have been played at their home ground, the Solomon Mahlangu Stadium in KwaMhlanga, as opposed to their usual Mbombela Stadium. This home support has been a significant factor in their success so far.

This contrasts sharply with their 2019 cup run, during which they played all five matches away from home, with the final occurring at a neutral venue in Durban.

Galaxy have played nine of their 19 matches at home, winning five of those, aided by their three home victories this year.

Milford, however, have played four of their seven Nedbank Cup matches as visitors and have not yet registered a win outright, though they’ve emerged victorious in three penalty shoot-outs. Their only outright loss came in 2016 against Lamontville Golden Arrows, when they were defeated 2-1.

High Scoring Matches

Milford have netted six goals across their three cup outings so far this season, following a 1-1 draw with SSU M17, a 3-0 triumph over Mkhambathi, and a thrilling 2-2 draw with Sekhukhune United. Their average of 2.00 goals per game exceeds their overall Nedbank Cup average of 1.29.

They have scored at least once in six of their seven previous Nedbank Cup matches, with the only exception being their 0-0 draw against Kaizer Chiefs in 2024, which they won on penalties.

TS Galaxy have managed to score in 16 of their last 19 Nedbank Cup matches, failing to find the net only three times against Chippa United (2020 and 2024) and TS Sporting (2021).

This season, they have scored five goals in three matches, and overall, they have tallied 35 goals in their 19 games, averaging 1.84 goals per game.

First Clash

This will mark the inaugural meeting between these two sides, creating a historic milestone.

In previous encounters with lower-league teams, Galaxy have come out on top six times out of eight attempts, suffering defeats only to TS Sporting and Durban City.

Their overwhelming 7-0 victory over Vasco da Gama in 2025 stands as the biggest win in their professional history.

On the other hand, Milford have faced top-flight teams in five of their seven Nedbank Cup fixtures and have advanced in two instances, both on penalties against Kaizer Chiefs (2024) and Sekhukhune United (2026). Their defeats came at the hands of Golden Arrows (2016), Stellenbosch FC (2024), and Sekhukhune United (2025).