The Carling Knockout quarter-finals get underway on Tuesday at Loftus Versfeld, where Mamelodi Sundowns face Golden Arrows for the fourth time this season.
The Brazilians hold the edge so far, having lost the first leg of their MTN8 semi-final 1-0 before overturning the deficit with a 3-2 second-leg win on away goals, then following it up with a 2-1 Premiership victory.
Arrows will be under new management for this latest clash. Mandla Ncikazi has returned to the club nearly five and a half years after leaving for Orlando Pirates, where he spent most of his time as an assistant and briefly served as co-coach. He was also part of the Pirates setup that claimed the 2025-26 Premiership title, ending Sundowns’ long run of dominance.
Ncikazi’s homecoming got off to a difficult start, however, as Arrows fell 1-0 to AmaZulu in Saturday’s Durban derby, with Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya scoring the winner. The result underlined the growing threat posed by Arthur Zwane’s side, who have steadily improved over the past two years.
While Ncikazi will need time to make his mark, Arrows have already shown this season that they are capable of troubling the big teams on their day — something they will look to prove once again against Sundowns in the last eight of the Carling Knockout.