History was rewritten in the Nedbank Cup when underdogs Casric Stars and Milford FC stunned Betway Premiership sides AmaZulu FC and Sekhukhune United to book their places in the semi finals.
Both clubs, who compete outside the top tier of South African football, delivered dramatic giant killing performances to continue their remarkable cup runs.
Casric Stars, a Motsepe Foundation Championship side, are owned and coached by Joseph “Bucs” Mthombeni, while Milford FC are owned and coached by Dr Xanti Pupuma.
The first major upset of the day came when Casric Stars defeated AmaZulu FC 2-1 at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
The Mpumalanga based club stunned the hosts in front of their home supporters, securing their place in the club’s first ever Nedbank Cup semi final.
Casric Stars took the lead through Mfundo Thikazi, but AmaZulu responded late in the match when experienced midfielder Pule Ekstein scored a dramatic equaliser in the final minutes of regulation time to force the match into extra time.
However, Casric Stars refused to back down.
With just five minutes remaining in extra time, Decide Chauke produced the decisive moment, scoring the winning goal that sealed a 2-1 victory for the Motsepe Foundation Championship side.
The victory continues Casric Stars’ reputation as giant slayers, having already knocked Orlando Pirates out of the Nedbank Cup earlier in the tournament.
Meanwhile, Milford FC also delivered a huge shock result by eliminating Sekhukhune United.
The match ended 1-1 after regulation time, forcing the encounter into extra time and eventually a penalty shootout.
The Richards Bay based club held their nerve from the spot, defeating Babina Noko 3-2 on penalties to secure their place in the semi finals.
Meanwhile, two more Nedbank Cup matches are scheduled for today.
TS Galaxy will face JDR Stars at 15:00, while Durban City will take on Golden Arrows in a KwaZulu Natal derby at 18:00.
As the tournament approaches its final stages, the remarkable runs of Casric Stars and Milford FC have proven once again why the Nedbank Cup remains one of South African football’s most unpredictable competitions.