Kadodia’s gamble pays off as Durban City lift Nedbank Cup title

After being forced to dump the Maritzburg United brand, a club he poured his heart into, Durban City chairman Farook Kadodia has been rewarded for his loyalty to the game, choosing not to walk away from football but instead relocating to eThekwini.

This after his new club in the coastal city defied the odds to claim the Nedbank Cup title after beating TS Galaxy 2-1 at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday.

The win also ended KwaZulu-Natal’s 17-year trophy drought after they clinched the Nedbank Cup title.

The Citizens came from a goal down to win the final after goals from Mfanafuthi Mkhize and Jean Lwamba Lubumba. Lubumba had scored an own goal for Galaxy.

The last time a KZN side won a trophy in the Premiership was in 2009 when Golden Arrows lifted the MTN8 title and Durban had the weight of ending that drought and didn’t disappoint.

The title is also the City’s first after they were promoted to the Premiership this season and they changed from Maritzburg United to Durban.

After they created history by becoming the first Motsepe Foundation Championship side to win this competition when they stunned Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 in 2019, Galaxy were searching for their second title, but it was not to be.

It was a match where Galaxy interim coach Bernard Parker played the entire game in the final for Amakhosi and he was looking to be on the winning side with the Rockets this time, but ended up on the losing side again.

For the Citizens, several players in their squad had experience in major cup finals. Midfielder Haashim Domingo and goalkeeper Darren Keet were amongst the players who won cup finals before and the club was looking at them to provide that crucial experience and help them win this title.

The final came at a time when both teams were struggling for form in league matches. Galaxy had gone ten matches without a victory, while Durban had only won once in their last six matches.

Trevor Mokwena and captain Siphamandla Ncanana returned to the City starting line-up, while the Rockets were unchanged from the side that started the goalless draw against Magesi in their last match.

Durban were in control as they looked for an early goal and had chances to break the ice, but could not take them in the first half. Terrence Mashego did well to pick out Jean Lwamba, who sent his header over the crossbar from six yards out.

It took some time for the Rockets to get into the game as they had to wait until three minutes before the half-hour mark for their first chance. Mpho Mvelase sent a delightful ball, only for Victory Letsoalo to balloon his efforts with only Keet to beat.

The half became scrappy with both sides guilty of giving away possession.

As the match continued, the Rockets were slowly starting to find their rhythm and nearly opened the scoring, but Victor Letsoalo ballooned his shot over the bar after a brilliant move by the club.

It was Galaxy, who opened the scoring two minutes before the interval through an own goal by Jean Lwamba Lubumba from a scramble on the goal line after Durban defense failed to clear from the corner and into the interval with a slender lead.

Durban came back with more energy in the second half as they searched for an equaliser and it was not long before they levelled matters from an unlikely source, defender Mfanafuthi Mkhize, who slotted home from an empty net.

City, who were lively in the second half, doubled their lead when Lubumba capitalised on an error after Mlungisi Mbujana failed to clear the ball to slot home the second. Galaxy tried to find the equaliser, but Durban defended well for their win.