Stellenbosch F.C. have progressed to the Nedbank Cup Round quarter-finals for the first time in the club’s history after recording a 6-3 win over TS Galaxy on Sunday.

• Stellenbosch scored six goals for the first time ever to come out on top in the nine-goal thriller.

• Iqraam Rayners was named Man of the Match after scoring two goals and assisting another.

• Andre de Jong and Ibraheem Jabaar both scored their first goals for the Maroons.

Stellies’ Nedbank Cup journey continued on Sunday afternoon where Steve Barker’s side came out on top of a thrilling encounter against TS Galaxy at the Mbombela Stadium.

Stellenbosch got off to the perfect start when Devin Titus opened the scoring in the third minute, beating his marker with a deft touch before firing home a half-volley that was reminiscent of his effort in the Round of 32 win over Swallows F.C. last month.

Galaxy responded well to the early set-back, however, and Stellies captain Lee Langeveldt was called upon to make at least two smart saves to keep the scores level during the first half an hour, including a strong block down low to deny the Rockets’ Bernard Parker.

Langeveldt was eventually beaten in the 41st minute when a miscommunication in defence resulted in Olwethu Makhanya giving away a penalty for a foul in the box, which was duly converted by Yaimal Medina.

From there, it looked as tough the two sides would be level at the break, but Junior Mendieta and Iqraam Rayners combined to restore Stellies’ lead on the stroke of half-time; the Argentine winning a penalty of his own after wriggling through the opposition defence, and the latter firing home the resulted spot-kick with aplomb.

Having held a 2-1 lead at the interval, Stellies came out for the second half looking to drive home the advantage and did so with just under an hour played through the boot of New Zealand international Andre de Jong, who scored his first-ever goal for the club. Rayners forced a save out of Galaxy ‘keeper Vasilije Kolak and it was De Jong who reacted quickest to the loose ball, firing home a composed finish from an acute angle.

Three became four just seven minutes later when Mendieta and Man of the Match Rayners combined again, this time the former finding the back of the net with a well-taken finish of his own.

A period of relative quiet ensured before the match then sprang to life again at the death, where both teams scored twice apiece in the final five minutes of the encounter. Rayners raced clear to net a second and Ibraheem Jabaar scored his first for Stellies as well, either side of a penalty goal from Masilake Pohlongo and a strike by Kamogelo Sebelebele.

You can watch highlights of all nine goals in the video below.