Durban City FC has finally ended KwaZulu-Natal's long-standing football drought by delivering the Nedbank Cup trophy to a province that last celebrated such a feat more than a decade ago. By conquering TS Galaxy with a come-from-behind 2-1 win in the final at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday night, City emulated the achievement of their provincial rivals, Golden Arrows under Manqoba Mngqithi, who lifted the MTN8 trophy in 2009.
What happened?
Durban City FC ended KwaZulu-Natal's decade-long trophy drought by winning the Nedbank Cup, defeating TS Galaxy 2-1 in the final.
Why it matters for Durban City FC
The victory secures City's place in next season's CAF Confederation Cup and revives memories of their 1980s glory days.
What comes next?
Both City and Galaxy now turn their focus to the Betway Premiership, with City aiming for a top-eight finish and Galaxy battling poor league form.
League standing: 7th in Premier Soccer League, 0 pts, 0W-0D-1L from 1 games, recent form L. Goals this season: 0 scored, 1 conceded (-1 goal difference). Title race: 3 points behind leaders Kaizer Chiefs. The Citizens evoked memories of the 1980s, when the original Durban City won back-to-back league titles (1982 and 1983) with legends such as former Bafana Bafana captain Neil Tovey and Meshack Mjanqeka among the club's most famous names.
Key players
Mfanafuthi Mkhize's 60th-minute strike cancelled out Galaxy's opener, which came from an own goal by Jean Lwamba Lubumba two minutes before halftime. Lubumba then scored at the right end, completing the comeback in the 77th minute after Galaxy's defence failed to clear inside the box.
Coach's thoughts
The original Durban City FC was established in 1957 and played in the whites-only National Football League until 1977. The club joined the nonracial Federation Professional League for the 1978 season. City moved to the National Professional Soccer League, which later became the National Soccer League (NSL), from 1979 to 1988. The club was sold to a group of local businesspeople at the end of the 1988 NSL season and renamed Natal United. Sadly, they were relegated that season, which led to the club's demise until its rebirth as Durban City following Maritzburg United's name change two years ago.
What's next for Durban City FC
On Saturday, City and Galaxy were evenly matched in terms of tactics, with both sides deploying significant numbers behind the ball whenever they gained or lost possession. All the goals resulted from slight lapses in concentration. City started with the core of players who have been regular starters in the tournament - goalkeeper Darren Keet, Terrence Mashego at left back, the pairing of Brooklyn Poggenpoel and Kyle Jurgens in central midfield, with DR Congo striker Lubumba leading the attack. Keet, Poggenpoel and Jurgens had outstanding performances throughout and are worthy contenders for player of the tournament.
