STATS: Carling Knockout Draw

The 2024 Carling Knockout (League Cup) draw was conducted on Tuesday afternoon, with all 16 current top-flight teams eligible for the competition. Before the PSL era, this tournament was known as the Datsun Challenge, then the JPS Knockout, and later the Coca-Cola Cup until 1996. The first two sponsors in the PSL era were Rothmans and Coca-Cola, before Telkom took over in 2006. This is the second edition of the League Cup under Carling’s sponsorship. All 16 teams discovered their opponents earlier today. Sundowns, Orlando Pirates, SuperSport, and Cape Town City will all play at home, while Stellenbosch and Kaizer Chiefs will start away.

Let’s take a look at some key numbers:

40 – The 2024 Carling Knockout will be the 40th edition of the League Cup, dating back to the first tournament in 1982 (excluding a hiatus from 2020-2022).

Can Stellenbosch Defend Their Crown?

The 2023 champions, Stellenbosch, are fresh from playing in the first final of the season in Durban. The men from the Winelands will be both wounded lions (after a late and painful defeat to Orlando Pirates) and protective like a mother bear, looking to guard the silverware they won just 10 months ago. However, defending the trophy has been a complex challenge for South African clubs over the last 42 years. Of the 39 different champions, 34 have failed to win back-to-back titles. And of the 20 unique clubs, only one has ever managed to do so.

1 – In the competition’s 42-year history, Kaizer Chiefs are the only club to successfully defend the South African League Cup, doing so on five different occasions (1984, 1989, 1998, 2004, and 2010).

Another Good Draw For Pirates

Orlando Pirates have slowly built a reputation as the “Cup Kings” of domestic football. The Buccaneers have won each of their last five finals (3 MTN8 and 2 Nedbank Cups), marking the club’s longest unbeaten streak in finals during the PSL era. Interestingly, Kaizer Chiefs also hold the record for the longest streak of consecutive final victories in the PSL era, winning seven straight finals from 2004 to 2010. However, Pirates were knocked out at the quarter-final stage last season, losing in a penalty shootout to Richards Bay. Jose Riveiro will be eager to correct that and knows his side boasts an impressive record: Pirates have progressed from the Last 16 stage in each of their last 13 League Cup campaigns, the longest run of consecutive quarter-final qualifications by any club in PSL history.

3 – Pirates have faced a newly promoted side in the first round of the League Cup for the third consecutive campaign (Stellenbosch in 2019, Cape Town Spurs in 2023, Magesi in 2024).

Other Games

Sundowns vs. Golden Arrows

1 – Golden Arrows have won just one of 10 games played against Sundowns in PSL-era Cup competitions, drawing one and losing the other eight.

SuperSport vs. Kaizer Chiefs

5 – SuperSport United will meet Kaizer Chiefs in the League Cup (PSL-era Coke/Rothmans/TKO/Carling) for the fifth time (P4 W1 D0 L3). Only against Orlando Pirates (7) have they played more games in the competition.

Cape Town City vs. Royal AM

1/10 – Since beating Swallows in the 2021 MTN8 semi-final, Cape Town City has won just one of their last 10 domestic Cup games, drawing four and losing the other five.

Polokwane vs. Marumo Gallants

50 – Marumo Gallants will make their debut in the League Cup alongside Magesi, becoming the 49th and 50th PSL-era teams to feature in the competition.

TS Galaxy vs. Chippa United

2014 – TS Galaxy will aim to become the first team to reach back-to-back finals since Platinum Stars in 2014.

Richards Bay vs. Sekhukhune

0 – Richards Bay has never lost a home game to Sekhukhune, winning one and drawing two of their three encounters.