This will be the fifth time since that BidVest Wits have clashed with Free State Stars in the Telkom Knockout competition and the third year in a row.

Wits have yet to come out on top, with the previous four results:

1996: Second Round – Wits 1 (Williams) Stars 2 (Ewen (og), Rafferty (og))

2012: Quarterfinal – Wits 0 Stars 0 – Stars won 4-3 on penalties

2015: First Round – Stars 1 (Venter) Wits 0

2016: First Round – Stars 3 (Sekola, Dlamini, Venter) Wits 1 (Klate)

The teams have clashed on 63 previous occasions in all competitions, with Wits claiming victory in 21 of those, to go with 18 wins for Stars and 24 draws. Wits have outscored their opponents 62-55 in that time.

In matches played at Wits, they have won 13 to four for Stars and 12 draws. Wits lead the scoring 34-18.

The record in all cup games is tighter. Of the nine games played there have been three wins each to go with three draws. Wits have scored eight goals and Stars seven.

The recent record between the two does not make for pretty reading for Wits though. They have won just one of the last 10 games, to go with five victories for Stars and four draws.

The teams have already met this season the league and played to a 2-2 draw in the Free State. Relebogile Mokhuoane and Siphelele Mthembu were on target for Stars, while Kobamelo Kodisang and Reeve Frosler netted for Wits.

Stars have lost in the first round of the Telkom Knockout just once in the last five years and have two semifinal and two quarterfinal finishes in that time.

Wits have exited in the first round of the Telkom Knockout in 12 of they 20 years they have played in the competition in the Premier Soccer League era. That includes first round exits in three of the last four years, with the last time they moved past the opening stage in 2014 when they meat Moroka Swallows 3-0.

Wits coach Gavin Hunt led the side to their maiden league title in the 2016/17 season, but despite seven major trophies in his coaching career, has yet to lift the Telkom Knockout. He has four league championships (2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2016/17), the Absa Cup (2004), Nedbank Cup (2012) and MTN8 (2016).

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

1986

Wits 3 (McGrellis 2, Lambert) Stars 0

Stars 2 (Phamotse, Zaza) Wits 0

1987

Stars 3 (Maphitse, Potsane 2) Wits 1 (Ilic (pen))

Wits 2 (Anley, Gordon) Stars 1 (Chambe)

1988

Stars 1 (Phamotse) Wits 3 (Moosa, Molotsane, Du Pont)

Wits 2 (Mills, Koseff) Stars 2 (Moloi, Motaung)

1989

Stars 1 (Nyambo) Wits 0

Wits 0 Stars 1 (Moloi)

1990

Wits 1 (Boyle) Stars 0

Stars 0 Wits 1 (Field)

1991

Wits 3 (Rowbottom, Van Rooyen, Mills) Stars 0

Stars 1 (Vermeulen) Wits 1 (Field)

1992

Wits 2 (Stobart, Du Pont) Stars 0

Stars 1 (Vermeulen) Wits 0

1993

Stars 0 Wits 1 (Gordon)

Wits 1 (Batchelor) Stars 1 (Moloi)

1994

Stars 1 (Kazadi) Wits 0

Wits 0 Stars 0

1995

Wits 1 (Du Pont) Stars 0

Stars 1 (Shabani) Wits 0

BP Top 8 Quarterfinal – Stars 0 Wits 1 (Sephadi)

1996

Stars 0 Wits 0

1996/97

Stars 2 (Mazibuko, Sekhoto) Wits 0

Wits 2 (Carnell, Maponyane) Stars 0

Coca Cola 2nd Rd – Wits 1 (Williams) Stars 2 (Ewen (og), Rafferty (og))

1997/98

Stars 0 Wits 1 (Ewen)

Wits 2 (Yohane, Rafferty) Stars 2 (Mkhondwane, Tsiu)

1998/99

Wits 0 Stars 0

Star 2 (Ngaduane, M.Tsotetsi) Wits 2 (Yohane, Fredericks)

Bob Save Quarterfinal – Stars 0 Wits 2 (Devine 2)

1999/2000

Stars 1 (Mokotjo) Wits 0

Wits 0 Stars 0

2000/01

Stars 1 (Lechesa) Wits 1 (Bwalya (og))

Wits 0 Stars 0

2001/02

Wits 1 (Coyle) Stars 0

Stars 0 Wits 0

2007/08

Stars 3 (Dhladha, Vilakazi, Mbuyane) Wits 1 (A.Hendricks)

Wits 1 (Moyo-Modise) Stars 0

2008/09

Wits 1 (Spelman) Stars 0

Stars 1 (Ngcobo) Wits 1 (Kadi)

2009/10

Wits 1 (Kadi) Stars 1 (Mdluli)

Stars 1 (Mweene (pen)) Wits 1 (Myeni (pen))

Nedbank Semi Final – Stars 1 (Nkatha) Wits 3 (Bantam, Haskins 2)

2010/11

Wits 2 (Mashamaite, Langwe) Stars 0

Stars 2 (Matlaba, Lebyane) Wits 2 (Jayiya)

2011/12

Stars 0 Wits 0

Wits 1 (Sifiso Vilakazi (pen)) Stars 3 (Mashego, Chivuta, Mnqele)

2012/13

Stars 2 (Masehe, Chivuta) Wits 0

Wits 1 (Kadi (pen)) Stars 1 (Nomandela)

Telkom Knockout quarterfinal – Wits 0 Stars 0 – Stars won 4-3 on penalties

2013/14

Stars 0 Wits 2 (Pattison, Sibusiso Vilakazi)

Wits 1 (Ngalande) Stars 3 (Henyekane 3)

2014/15

Wits 2 (Katongo, Doutie) Stars 0

Stars 1 (Makhaula) Wits 0

Nedbank Cup Last 32 – Wits 0 Stars 0 – Wits won 4-2 on penalties

2015/16

Stars 0 Wits 0

Wits 0 Stars 0

Telkom Knockout Last 16 – Stars 1 (Venter) Wits 0

Nedbank Cup – Stars 0 Wits 0 – Stars won 5-4 on penalties

2016/17

Wits 3 (Mhango, Mahlambi 2 (1pen)) Stars 1 Sekotlong)

Stars 3 (Makhaula, Anas, Jantjie) Wits 1 (Malajila)

Telkom Knockout Last 16 – Stars 3 (Sekola, Dlamini, Venter) Wits 1 (Klate)

2017/18

Stars 2 (Mokhuoane, Mthembu pen) Wits 2 (Kodisang, Frosler)

SUMMARY

League matches played are in brackets

Total Wits Stars

Home Home

Played 63 (54) 29 (26) 34 (28)

Wits won 21 (18) 13 (13) 8 (5)

Stars won 18 (15) 4 (3) 14 (12)

Drawn 24 (21) 12 (10) 12 (11)

Wits goals 62 (54) 34 (33) 28 (21)

Stars goals 55 (48) 18 (16) 37 (32)

GOALSCORERS

Wits

3 goals – Du Pont, Kadi

2 – McGrellis, Gordon, Mills, Field, Yohane, Devine, Haskins, Jayiya, Mahlambi

1 – Lambert, Ilic, Anley, Moosa, Molotsane, Koseff, Boyle, Rowbottom, Van Rooyen, Stobart, Batchelor, Sephadi, Carnell, Maponyane, Williams, Ewen, Rafferty, Federicks, Coyle, A.Hendricks, Moyo-Modise, Spelman, Myeni, Bantam, Mashamaite, Langwe, Sifiso Vilakazi, Pattison, Sibusiso Vilakazi, Ngalande, Katongo, Doutie, Mhango, Malajila, Klate, Kodisang, Frosler

Own goals – Bwalya (00/01)

Free State Stars

3 goals – Moloi, Henyekane

2 – Phamotse, Potsane, Vermeulen, Makhaula, Venter

1 – Zaza, Maphitse, Chambe, Motaung, Nyambo, Kazadi, Shabani, Mazibuko, Sekhoto, Mkhondwane, Tsiu, Ngaduane, M.Tsotetsi, Mokotjo, Lechesa, Dhaldhla, Sifiso Vilakazi, Mbuyane, Ngcobo, Mdluli, Mweene, Nkatha, Matlaba, Lebyane, Mashego, Chivuta, Mnqele, Mashehe, Chivuta, Nomandela, Anas, Jantjie, Sekotlong, Sekola, Dlamini, Mokhuoane, Mthembu

Own goals 2 – Ewen (96/97), Rafferty (96/97)