Other great battles to look forward to…

this season, as Rise and Shine edged the league clash 1-0 in August. Lehlohonolo Seema’s men could have a psychological advantage going into the game, especially because they have only lost one match at home this season, against giants Mamelodi Sundowns.

Away cup form to inspire Stellies?

Stellenbosch have not had the best of times away from home in the DStv Premiership, but they’ve impressed on the road in knockout competitions. In the MTN8, they beat SuperSport United in Polokwane in the quarterfinals and then went on to edge Orlando Pirates 1-0 at Orlando Stadium in the second leg semi-final, though the victory was not enough to send them through to the final as the Buccaneers progressed on away goals.

In the Last 16 of the Carling Knockout, Steve Barker’s charges beat Chippa United 2-1, so they could fancy their chances of upsetting Rise and Shine in the quarterfinals this weekend.

They may have already lost 1-0 to Polokwane City in Limpopo this season, but their away form in knockout competitions so far this season should give them reason to believe that they can progress to the semi-finals.

Also, having lost in the semifinals of both last seasons Nedbank Cup and the MTN8 this season, Steve Barkers men will definitely be hungry to go all the way this time around.

Home form a concern for Babina Noko

Sekhukhune, who reached the Nedbank Cup final last season, have struggled at home this campaign and this could be a concern for them as they prepare to host an unpredictable Galaxy side. In the four league matches they have played at home this season, they have lost three times and drawn once. They are yet to taste victory on home soil in the league, but the 1-0 win over Royal AM in the Last 16 of the Carling Knockout will give them hope that they are capable of knocking the Rockets out and edging closer to another final after getting to that stage in the Nedbank Cup a few months ago.

The two teams met as recently as last Sunday, with Sead Ramovic’s men edging it 2-0, so Babina Noko will be out for revenge, although morale could be low in camp with the rumours of an impending exit of Brandon Truter.

Where will Galaxy’s goals come from?

The Mpumalanga-based outfit may be high on confidence after knocking Mamelodi Sundowns out in the previous round, but there is a big concern when it comes to the games they have played away from home this season. In all four of the DStv Premiership matches they have played away from home this season, the Rockets have not found the back of the net. They are the joint-lowest-scoring side in the league with bottom of the table Cape Town Spurs, with just five goals scored in nine encounters. They face a Sekhukhune side that is usually solid in defence, so this will be a big challenge for Ramovic’s men, but the cup fixture does give them hope of going all the way to penalties if they cannot find the back of the net in 120 minutes.