NKUNZIMBINI JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL OUTSHINE BARKERVILLE PRIMARY SCHOOL

The list of nine schools that will be playing in the 2012 Danone Nations Cup National Finals in Mamelodi on June 23 will be finalised this weekend when the Gauteng finals take place.

The second-last piece of the puzzle fell into place last Saturday when Nkuzimbini Junior Secondary School from Ngqeleni, a remote rural settlement near Mthatha in the OR Tambo Region won the Eastern Cape Danone Nations Cup provincial final. Nkunzimbini Junior Secondary School beat Caley Primary School on penalties after the sides were locked on 0-0 at the end of  regulation time.

Nkunzimbini will now be playing for the national title which carries with it a chance to represent South Africa in the World Finals in Warsaw, Poland, in September.

The team that represented the nation at last year’s World Finals, Barkerville Primary, were from the Eastern Cape Province. They were at the provincial finals again this year, but did not make it through.

This is just their second time in the Danone Nations Cup. They lost to Barkerville in last year’s provincial final. Team coach Justice Nqiwa says for him the Danone Nations Cup is not about winning but about the experience the boys are going to have. “Being there will show them that there are plenty of other opportunities out there and their circumstances should not stand in the way of who they can be,” he says.

“I want them to enjoy themselves and feel what it is like to be young and to dream of endless possibilities. Even though they might not win the tournament and go to Poland I believe that just travelling to Gauteng can open doors for some of them. This will be their first trip outside Eastern Cape for all of the players.”

Nqiwa singles out Abulele Sotshononda and Lwazi Mabokela as his key players.  “Sotshononda is a right wing who has pace and who can dribble and pass well. Mabokela is a solid defender who can make good runs from the back. He has good ball control and clears dangerous balls at the back extremely well.”

This Saturday’s winner from the Gauteng provincial finals will join Nkuzimbini Junior Secondary, Chakaza Primary School from Mpumalanga, Isinamumva Primary School from KwaZulu-Natal, Atamela Primary School from North West, Kgwahlele Primary School from Limpopo, Bochabela Primary School from Free State, Keidebees Primary School from Northern Cape and AH Barnard Primary school from Western Cape at the Danone Nations Cup national Finals in Mamelodi on June 23 to play off for the South African title.

EASTERN CAPE RESULTS

POOL A

Imbasa Primary School

Nkunzimbini Junior Secondary School

Backerville Primary School

Ntabelanga Primary School

POOL B

Bongweni Primary School

Caley Primary School

Maruping Primary School

Imbasa Primary School 0 vs Nkuzimbini Junior Secondary School 1

Barkerville Primary School 1 vs Ntabelanga Primary School 0

Bongweni Primary School 0 (1) vs Caley Primary School 0 (3)

Imbasa Primary School 0 (7) vs Barkerville Primary School 0 (6)

Nkunzimbini Junior Secondary School 2 vs  Ntabelanga Primary School 1

Caley Primary School 1 vs Maruping Primary School 0

Ntabenga Primary School 1 vs Imbasa Primary School 0

Barckerville Primary School 0 (3) vs Nkuzimbini Junior Secondary School 0 (2)

Maruping Primary School 0 vs Bongweni Primary School 1

FINAL

Nkunzimbini Junior Secondary School 0 (3) vs  Caley Primary School 0 (2)