Mpumalanga ABC Motsepe League side Phiva Young Stars will make their debut in the Nedbank Cup Last 32 this season having been a club on the rise in recent seasons.

Young Stars have been a force in their own province and won through to the national playoffs of the ABC Motsepe League last season, but could not take the big step up to the National First Division.

But they would have been buoyed that showing and have continued their success by reaching the first round proper of the Nedbank Cup, ending a two-year run of provincial rivals Mbombela United to this stage.

The club play at the newly-renovated KaMhlushwa Stadium, which just last year had a new grandstand built among many other improvements to the facilities.

The side is coached by former Kaizer Chiefs defensive midfielder Humphrey Mlwane, who was at Naturena from 1997 to 2000 and has been leading the rejuvenation of the team.

Club CEO Nicholas Siboza says they are delighted to have come this far and are hoping for a home draw against a Premier Soccer League side to showcase the talent in their squad.

“For us, reaching the Nedbank Cup Last 32 has revitalised the team, bringing us together as a squad and the guys are fired up for the competition,” Siboza says.

“We want a PSL team at the KaMhlushwa Stadium, that would be a best possible outcome for us and we then want to beat them to make the country sit up and take notice of the talent we have at this club and in this province.”