Carling Knockout Last 16 Draw Revealed - Pirates and Sundowns Coaches React

Ralph Staniforth

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Last updated: 2 hours ago

Ralph Staniforth 2 hours ago

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Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates, and Kaizer Chiefs face significant Round of 16 opponents in the Carling Knockout Cup.
Sundowns seek to avenge last season’s penalty defeat to Marumo Gallants, while Pirates aim to avoid complacency against Milford FC.
Coaches emphasise the importance of focus and learning from past upsets as the competition heats up.

Orlando Pirates are targeting more silverware as the holders of the Carling Knockout Cup (Getty Images).

The Carling Knockout Cup Round of 16 draw has delivered some exciting clashes, with South Africa’s top clubs discovering their opponents for the next stage of the competition.
Carling Knockout Last 16 Draw Revealed
Round of 16 Draw in Full
Cardoso Targets Revenge Against Marumo Gallants
Ouaddou Warns Pirates Against Complacency

Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs will all be looking to progress as the race for silverware intensifies.

Carling Knockout Last 16 Draw Revealed

The draw has set up intriguing ties for South Africa’s big three, with defending champions Orlando Pirates drawn against Milford FC, Kaizer Chiefs set to face TS Galaxy and Mamelodi Sundowns taking on Marumo Gallants.

Sundowns will be eager to avoid a repeat of last season’s elimination by Gallants, while Pirates begin their title defence and Chiefs look to overcome a tricky Galaxy side.

Round of 16 Draw in Full

Kruger United vs AmaZulu

Mamelodi Sundowns vs Marumo Gallants

Golden Arrows vs Chippa United

Durban City vs Stellenbosch

Orlando Pirates vs Milford

Polokwane City vs Siwelele

Sekhukhune United vs Richards Bay

Kaizer Chiefs vs TS Galaxy

Cardoso Targets Revenge Against Marumo Gallants

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has acknowledged the challenge posed by Marumo Gallants, who eliminated his side from the competition last season after a penalty shootout.

He said: “We would like to win the tournament, and we will do it.

"Playing at home gives us some comfort because we travel so much. Obviously, it avoids exposure to more trips and fatigue. But we also know Marumo by last year’s history.

“Despite that match being a one-way match, there were no entries in our box. We also didn’t score, and that’s the story of the game: it’s putting the ball in the net. So, then we got penalised in the penalty shootout, which we don’t want to repeat.”

Ouaddou Warns Pirates Against Complacency

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou will be wary of the threat posed by Milford FC as the Buccaneers prepare to defend their Carling Knockout crown.

The Moroccan coach said: “It's a very good team, well coached, very organised, disciplined. They have this power, this energy that they brought from the lower level. They can run.

“So, it will be a big challenge. And for us, of course, it will be very important to go through the next stage."

Ralph Staniforth is a South African sports journalist, editor and betting writer who has worked in sports media since 2012.

With a background in Sports Science, he has covered a wide range of sports and interviewed leading players and coaches across South African rugby, cricket and football.

His sports betting work covers both South African and international markets, combining his knowledge of sport with extensive experience analysing fixtures, teams, form and betting markets.

Ralph specialises in football and rugby, while also covering cricket, tennis and golf. His work includes match previews, betting tips, betting guides and broader analysis of the sports betting industry.

You can find more from Ralph at Muckrack and LinkedIn.