Friday, April 1, 2011

SPORTS ACADEMIES DOMINATE COPA COCA-COLA NATIONAL FINALS

The first day of the Copa Coca-Cola national finals currently underway at the Galeshewe Stadium in Kimberley was one to remember with scintillating action on the pitch and fans getting the opportunity to have a picture taken with Lucas Radebe to fill the gaps and thrill the crowds in between play.

Behind the excitement and anticipation the nine competing Provincial teams each played two games in their respective Groups – and it was a day of surprises.

Each Group had one sports school academy included and in the first couple of games of the day each won comfortably.  But as the day wore on not all managed to keep the momentum going, one being the Benny’s Care team from the Benny’s Sport Development Academy (Limpopo).  After winning their first game against Ndamase from the Eastern Cape 5 – 2, they crashed out against Sol Plaatjies from North West 2 – 1 to finish second in Group B missing the opportunity to compete in the semifinals.

But Benny’s players can hold their heads up high as Sol Plaatjie Secondary School from Mafikeng is an exceptionally strong football school and they might not be an academy, but many of the players have competed internationally. Sol Plaatjie Team manager, Thomas Shale explains:  “Mogorosi Mmethi (scored one goal today) and Norman Manong were amongst the top five players who were selected nationally in a schools tournament to spend some time abroad in Manchester and Brazil. In 2009 Kagiso Mahabane, Lehlohonolo Marumo (the joint leading goalscorer after the first day of play with 5 goals) and Jovian Jacobs spent 12 months in Brazil (Ole Futbol Academy) while other team members represented their respective primary schools at very high levels in the past.” 

Shale further has complete faith in his team captain, Lebogang Phetlhu, who, for the past five years, has represented the North West Province at numerous national tournaments.  “The only reason why we are usually classified as underdogs is that our school is situated in Mafikeng where not much publicity is done,” he says.

Shale says that a win in Copa Coca-Cola will put the school solidly on the soccer map. “In 2006 when we first entered Copa Coca-Cola my players were very young and we lost at cluster level.  Last year we made it to the Provincial finals. The dream has always been to reach the National finals; this is our first time and we are determined to do well.”

Another Sports Academy, HTS Louis Botha, from the Free State comfortably beat Freddy Sithole (Mpumalanga) 4 - 2 and Mohloli  (Gauteng) 5 – 1 to top Group C.  It is the third time that the technical high school is participating in Copa Coca-Cola, having reached fourth place in the Nationals as their best performance.  Despite having lost three players to Sundowns and Chiefs at the end of last year, they are pleased to have reached the National Finals and now to have gone through to the semifinals. 
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The team’s manager, Johann Wessels, believes that the team’s good mix of talent, youth and experience count in their favour where it matters - on the pitch. “This is the first big tournament of the year,” he says. “The guys are fresh and ready for some good competition. There is good cohesion in the team, and a great spirit. So we will go out there and do our best tomorrow and get to the finals.”

It was no surprise to see the Western Cape Sports School, another academy, top Group 1.  However, it was not plain sailing.  The team beat the hosts, Kakamas, 2 – 1 but only managed to draw 1all against Groudville from KZN (the latter team was later disqualified after fielding improperly registered players.  The same applied to Ndamase from the Eastern Cape)

Tomorrow, Friday 1 April, all teams play for their final positions.  The day will end with the 2 semifinals to decide who gets through to the Finals happening on Saturday, 2 April at 12pm. 

Copa Coca-Cola is one of South Africa’s premier tournaments for under-18 schools. Not only are there generous prizes up for grabs, but talent scouts have been keeping their eyes open for new talent that can be developed to feed into the country’s existing talent pool. The prize money for the national winner is R150 000; second place receives    R100 000 and third place R60 000. This is over and above the R40 000 cash prize each team receives for making it past the provincial level.
GROUP A                                             GROUP B                                 GROUP C                    
Groudville (KZN)                        Benny’s Care (Limp)                  HTS Louis Botha (FS)
Kakamas (NC)                           Ndamase (EC)                           Freddy Sithole (MPUM)
WP Sports School (WC)                        Sol Plaatjie (NW)                       Mohloli (Gaut)

RESULTS:  31 MARCH 2011 

Groudville
GOALS:   Sibongiseni Magaye 5 (2 goals)
2 – 5
Kakamas
GOALS:  Malvin Arends 15, Matthew Busby 9, Vernon Saals 11 (2 goals) Elfrit Louw 8
Benny’s Care
GOALS:  Rendani Galedzana 8, Yona Mulaudzi  9 (2 goals), Clement Maphaba 2, Lloid Davhana 7,
5 - 1
Ndamase
GOAL:  Lizo Vava 8
HTS Louis Botha
GOALS:  Sizwe Ngoma 10 (2 goals), Thabiso Mothajana 7, Thabang Mothajana 11
4 - 2
Freddy Sithole
GOALS:  Nhlanhla Madalane 2 (2 goals)
Kakamas
GOALS:  Vernon Saals 11
1 - 2
WC Sports School
GOALS:  Nathan Adams 9, Mpendulo Mkaza 8
Ndamase
GOALS:  Bagcine Sinqa 12
1 - 3
Sol Plaatjie
GOALS:  Lehlohonolo Marumo 5 (2 goals), Mogorosi Mmethi 10
Freddy Sithole
0 - 2
Mohloli
GOALS:  Vilakazi Siphiwe 4 (2 goals)
WC Sport School
GOAL:  Nathan Adams 9
1 - 1
Groudville
GOAL:  Mlondolozi Mgobhozi 9
Sol Plaatjie
GOALS:  Lehlohonolo Marumo 5 (2 goals)
2 - 1
Benny’s Care
GOALS:  Yona Mulaudzi 9
Mohloli
GOAL:  Siphiwe Vilakazi 4
1 - 5
HTS Louis Botha
GOALS:  Charlie Hlalele 13, Thabang Mathajane 11, Sizwe Ngoma 10 (3 goals)


LOG POSITIONS

GROUP A


Groudville (disqualified)
Kakamas
WP Sport School
Points
Groudville (KZN)

2 – 5
1 - 1
1
Kakamas (NC)
5 – 2

1 - 2
3
W Cape Sport School (WC)
1 – 1
2 – 1

4



GROUP B


Benny’s Care
Ndamase (disqualified)
Sol Plaatjie
Points
Benny’s Care(Limp)

5 – 1
1 - 2
3
Ndamase (EC)
1 – 5

1 - 3
0
Sol Plaatjie (NW)
2 – 1
3 - 1

6


GROUP C


HTS Louis Botha
Freddy Sithole
Mohloli
Points
HTS Louis Botha  (FS)

4 – 2
5 - 1
6
Freddy Sithole (Mpum)
2 – 4

0 - 2
0
Mohloli (Gaut)
1 – 5
2 - 0

3



FIXTURES:  1 APRIL 2011 


Penalty shoot out between Kakamas and Benny’s Care


POSITION 5:  Kakamas/Benny’s Care

Freddy Sithole
SEMIFINAL 1:  HTS Louis Botha

Kakamas/Benny’s Care/Freddy Sithole
POSITION 6/7:  Kakamas/Benny’s Care/Freddy Sithole

Mohloli
SEMIFINAL 2:  Western Cape Sports School

Sol Plaatjie



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