Orlando Pirates duo Miguel Timm and Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo have joined Kermit Erasmus in the Nedbank Cup history books.
Timm and Ndlondlo have now appeared in three consecutive Nedbank Cup finals, after doing so with Tshakhuma Madzivhandila (TTM) and Marumo Gallants in the past two seasons before Saturday’s clash at Loftus Versfeld – joining Erasmus, who reached the 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14 finals.
In the 2020/21 season, Timm and Ndlondlo were in the starting line-up when TTM beat Chippa United 1-0 in the final. It was the pint-sized Ndlondlo who decided the affair, scoring a screamer in the 27th minute from range at Free State Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein.
Both players also featured in last season’s final when Gallants lost 2-1 to Mamelodi Sundowns at Royal Bafokeng Stadium when coach Dan Malesela was in charge of the Limpopo side.
But they were not denied their second Ke Yona Cup as Terrence Dzvukamania steered in a cross of Monnapule Saleng in the dying minute on Saturday to score and see Pirates win the national cup for the first time in 2014.
In that season nine years ago, Erasmus was part of Pirates side during his first stint at Orlando Stadium, scoring twice against Gavin Hunt’s Bidvest Wits at the Moses Mabhida Stadium. The other goal by Pirates was scored by Sifiso Myeni, who had worked extensively with Hunt before joining the Buccaneers, to win 3-1.
It was the third consecutive final for Erasmus then as he was also part of SuperSport United’s side under Hunt that beat Sundowns 2-0 in the final in 2011/12.
Interestingly, the former Cape Town City striker scored the second goal on that occasion at Orlando after Thabo September had opened the scoring. Edwin Gymah, now at Sekhukhune, was in the starting line-up in the final for SuperSport but has lost three out of four he has appeared in.
In the 2012/13 season, SuperSport was beaten by Kaizer Chiefs in Durban, with Bernard Parker having caught Rowen Williams off his heels from range to settle the tie. Gymah was in the starting line-up for SuperSport.
Overall, Erasmus won his fourth Nedbank Cup after having also won it with Sundowns last season, when Masandawana had ended Timm and Ndlondlo hopes of adding their second Ke Yona Cup then.
