With R8 million at stake, who will be crowned the 2021 MTN8 champions at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday? Picture: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
Kicking off just before the start of each new campaign, the Top 8 has always provided domestic fans with the thrills and spills to linger in their hearts and minds for a long time, and this weekend’s blockbuster final in Durban promises to be no different.
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But just how well do you know this competition that features the top eight finishers from the previous league season?
Phakaaathi takes you down memory lane with some interesting facts:
Bucs won it first
Orlando Pirates won the first ever final staged in 1972, edging Kaizer Chiefs 3-2 in a game that featured a Buccaneers debut for a future Bafana Bafana coach, Ephraim ‘Shakes’ Mashaba.
Amakhosi the cup kings
With 21 final appearances under their belts, Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs are the most successful club in Top 8 history with 15 victories. Orlando Pirates are the next most successful with 10 title triumphs from 16 finals. Mamelodi Sundowns, Swallows FC, BidVest Wits and SuperSport United all follow next with three titles each.
Gauteng rules
Thirty-nine of the 46 previous winners have come from Gauteng, with three victories for the Western Cape (Santos, Ajax Cape Town and Cape Town City), and one each for the Free State (Bloemfontein Celtic), KwaZuluNatal (Lamontville Golden Arrows), Mpumalanga (Witbank Aces) and North West (Platinum Stars).
Soweto giants lead the way
Soweto rival Chiefs and Pirates are the only sides to retain the top eight trophy with Chiefs doing so in 1981, 1982 and 1991,1992 and Bucs in 2010-2011.
Third time lucky for Tinkler
Eric Tinkler was part of the now defunct Wits University side that lost out in back-to-back BP Top 8 finals (1989 and 1990). In 1989 Wits suffered a 2-1 on aggregate (1-0 away and 1-1 at home) defeat to Amakhosi and Masandawana demolished them 5-0 on aggregate (2-0 away and 3-0 at home) the next year. As a coach, Tinkler won it with Matsatsantsa in 2017, beating Cpt City 4-2 on penalties. Before then, Tinkler was Vladimir Vermezovic’s assistant when the Buccaneers lost 1-0 to Chiefs in the 2014 final.
Chiefs go the extra mile
Seven finals have gone to extra-time, two involving Chiefs (both won), Pirates (one win, one loss), SuperSport United (one win, one loss) and Cape Town City (one win, one loss). The other was between old foes Jomo Cosmos and Moroka Swallows, with Ezenkosi winning 3-2.
Arrows’ record remains unbroken
Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi led Golden Arrows to their maiden MTN8 Cup win in 2009. Their 6-0 final victory over Ajax Cape Town is not only the biggest winning margin in an MTN8 final, but also in all domestic cup final matches in South African football history.
Final replays
Two finals have gone to replays. 1988: Mamelodi Sundowns 1-1 / 1-1 Arcadia [Sundowns won replay 1-0] and 1996: Pirates 1-1 QwaQwa Stars [Pirates won replay 3-0].
BONUS STAT
There have been three cup final hat tricks in the competition’s history – Ace Ntsoelengoe for Chiefs against AmaZulu in 1976, Marks Maponyane for Chiefs against Rangers in 1987 and Phil Masinga for Jomo Cosmos against Chiefs in 1991, but despite his three goals he still finished on the losing side.
Compiled by Tumi Gabonamong
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