Eastern Cape Champions in the Nedbank Cup last 32, Amavarara Football Club was denied a dream of playing in the last 16 of the tournament by the South African Premier Soccer League side, TS Galaxy on Sunday, February 12, in Johannesburg.
The Mpumalanga-based professional side took this Nedbank Cup fixture to Wits Football Stadium instead of their Mbombela Stadium home grounds. The former Ezibeleni-based club Amavarara managed to hold on until the 41st minute when Sphiwe Mahlangu fired TS Galaxy in front before Masilake Phohlongo doubled their lead four minutes later to seal the win.
The Joe Gqabi-based club’s Nedbank Cup journey started with the qualifiers that saw the team defeat all the Eastern Cape teams playing in the ABC Motsepe League and the SAB League and qualifying for the last 32 Nedbank Cup draw.
The club was not new in the Nedbank Cup setup as they reached the last 16 in 2020 but lost to then PSL side Black Leopards in Thohoyandou with the same score line.
Amavarara chairperson, Akhona Pele, who purchased the club last season, said they are pleased with its performance against a professional side.
“We really wanted to go to the Last 16 of the Cup and maybe better the record of 2020, but unfortunately, we were playing against an experienced side in Galaxy. We are happy with the performance of the boys. Even the Head Coach of TS Galaxy was praising our team after the game,” said Pele.
Amavarara is still leading EC ABC Motsepe League Stream A by three points with a game in hand. Their next EC ABC Motsepe League game will be away in Bizana on Saturday, February 18, against Thohoyandou FC.