All the cup fixtures
KAIZER Chiefs will travel to National First Division side Stellenbosch FC in the last 32 of the Nedbank Cup‚ while Orlando Pirates are away at Bisho-based EC Bees.
The draw was made on Thursday.
Mamelodi Sundowns will host Limpopo minnows Mariveni United‚ a fourth-tier side, which will provide memories of their 24-0 thrashing of SAB League side Powerlines FC five years ago.
Defending champions SuperSport United have a difficult start to the defence of their title when they travel to ambitious NFD side Royal Eagles‚ while there is also a KwaZulu-Natal derby between Lamontville Golden Arrows and Maritzburg United.
Chiefs have yet to win a trophy under coach Steve Komphela and head to the Cape winelands for the start of their Nedbank Cup campaign this year.
Stellenbosch are coached by Sammy Troughton and Steve Barker‚ the latter having steered University of Pretoria to the final in 2009 while still an NFD outfit where they lost to Moroka Swallows.
Mariveni United won a disputed with Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila FC to earn their place in the last-32 and their reward is a meeting with African Champions Sundowns.
It will be an exercise in damage limitation and from a Sundowns point of view‚ a chance for coach Pitso Mosimane to give some of his top stars a rest in what is a congested fixture programme for the tournament.
EC Bees’ Bisho home does not have adequate facilities to host Premier Soccer League matches so their game will likely be moved to East London or Port Elizabeth. They made the last-32 last year but were beaten 2-1 by Magesi FC. Pirates will not want to take them lightly, having been beaten 4-1 by thirdtier Maluti FET College in 2013.
BidVest Wits have a tricky away day at Cape Town All Stars‚ while there is an allPSL battle between Free State Stars and Highlands Park.
Polokwane City will host Gauteng ABC Motsepe League side African All Stars for the second year running, having beaten them 2-0 in 2016‚ while Telkom Knockout winners, Cape Town City, travel to thirdtier Acornbush FC.
Bloemfontein Celtic go to third-tier Buya Msuthu‚ who are coached by former Pirates assistant Teboho Moloi‚ who will certainly have a plan do beat Phunya Sele Sele.
Another David vs Goliath clash sees 2015 finalists, Ajax Cape Town, travel to the KwaZulu-Natal coast to meet KwaDukuza United.
The last-32 matches will be played in the week of March 8-14‚ with the exact dates‚ venues and kick-off times to be announced by the PSL in due course.