Academies have topped the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup National Final Groups

The final round robin games of the Sanlam Kay Motsepe took place at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi, Durban today with Rosina Sedibane, Louis Botha Technical College, and Clapham College topping their group. The play-offs will commence tomorrow.  

For Gauteng’s Rosina Sedibane Modiba Sports School things are going according to plan.  “So far so good,” said coach, Tumelo Molabo, but he warns his team that more goals need to be scored if they wish to progress further. “The team I brought this year is young and inexperienced, but have been playing together for a few years now so know each other well.  I can see them getting more and more confident as the days progress.  We ended our League matches by beating Welebasha (KZN) 5 – 0. The boys have shown a determination to win and they are not scared of any team.” 

Rosina has not lost a game in the national finals to date and have scored 9 goals, conceding one goal against Executive Academy (EC).

The team Rosina is hoping to meet in the tournament is fellow provincial winners, Clapham, who have done exceptionally well this year.  “They beat us in the provincial final, but we are ready to redeem ourselves and they better watch out.  Last year we finished the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup in fourth position and we want to take first position this year,” said Molabo, who admits that the fact that most of the players belong to the SuperSport United Academy also helps.

Key Player for Rosina this year is Thabo Mile, who has scored 2 goals for the school.  The 19 year old Grade 11 pupil has just rejoined the team after suffering a foot injury .  “I thought that I would not be able to adjust after my injury,” said Mile, “but surprisingly I adjusted and am happy with my performance and it proves that I am on form again.”

Mile joined the SuperSport United Academy in 2009 and is grateful for the opportunity offered to him and the time the club and school has spent on him to improve his football as well as help him get a better grasp on life.  “It is amazing how life works.  My father wanted my brother to progress with his soccer career, but he decided he didn’t want to make soccer his life.  My father has since died and I am the one that is progressing in soccer. It is a pity he can’t see me now.”

Gauteng’s Clapham High School finished top of Group B winning all their matches with an impressive 18 goals conceding only one, against rivals, Harmony (Free State).

Newcomers, Louis Botha Technical High School from Bloemfontein, Free State finished top of Group C, winning their final round robin match against Ndamase (EC) 6 – 0, with Boipelo Segwaba scoring 4 goals.  The team managed to knock 12 goals into the net conceding only one.

Fixtures for the third day of play are still to be announced.

Results: East High 0 vs Louis Botha 1

                Goal:  Sizwe Duba

Okiep 1 vs Ndamase 0

                Goal:  Duncan V.D. Heever

Eric Nxumalo 3 vs Benny’s Sport Academy 2

                Goals:  EN:  Sydney Moyane, Adriot Mathebula, Silence Mashaba

                BC:  Alton Kapinga (2)

Mondale 1  vs  Cloetesville 1

                Goals:  Mon:  Dean Brandon (Kyle wheeler sent off for foul in penalty box)

                Cloet:  Curvin Williams

Welabasha 0  vs Sibongumusa1

                Goal:  Sihle Ndlovu

Executive Academy 1 vs Rosina Sedibane 1

                Goals:  EA: Zolani Malahla

                RS:  Skhumbuzo Mazibuko

Clapham 1 v Harmony 0

                Goal:  Khayelihle Shozi

Rietvale 0 v Freedom Park 1

                Goal: Bakang Monchwe

Sebetwane 0 v FK Tjiane 2

                Goals:  Dumisani Shongwe, Raymond Moroko

Benny’s Sport 1 v Okiep 0

                Goal:  Duncan VD Heever

Louis Botha 4 v Eric Nxumalo 0

                Goals:  Biopelo Segwaba, Aaron Mzethu, George Mlalele, Ernest Mabathoana

East High 6 v Ndamase 0

                Goals:  Muzi Thabotha (2), Siyabonga Sibiya (3), Bojosi Manjoe

Welabasha 0 v Rosina Sedibane 5

                Goals:  Lucky Gilbert, Zama Rambuwane, Thabo Mile, Sifiso Nkosi, Kwanele Zulu

Executive Academy 0 v Mondale 2

                Goals:  Dillan Fransch (2)

Cloetesville 2 v Sibongemusa 1

                Goals:  Cloet:  Regan Rhode, Wandile Yapi

                Sib: Sbonelo Sibiya

Rietvale 2 v FK Tjiane 1

                Goals:  Riet:  Horatio Mokwane, Maxwell Maarman

                Tj:  Obrey Mokwana

Sebetwane 0  v Clapham 1

                Goal:  Percy Tau

Harmony 1 v Freedom Park 0

                Goal:  Reginald Tsoela

Louis Botha 6 v Ndamase 0

                Goals:  Boipelo Segwaba (4), Ernest Mabathoana, Phatsimo Litseho

East High 3  v Benny’s Sport1

                Goals:  EH:  Siyabonga Sibiya (2), Thembumenzi Ngomane,

                BS:  Eethe Khaukanani

Okiep 3 v Eric Nxumalo 2

                Goals:  OK: Gian De Jongh, Duncan VD Heever (2)

                EN:  Fumani Mathebula, Sydney Moyane

About the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup:

·       The tournament is run under the auspices of the South Africa Football Association (SASFA)

   Named after prominent businessman Patrice Motsepe’s late mother, the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup offers the biggest prize money at school level in Africa (R3.4 million in total). 

·       The sponsors are:  Sanlam, the Motsepe Foundation and the Sanlam Ubuntu-Botho Community Development Trust.

·       The primary objective of the tournament is to revive the culture of school football amongst students between the age of 16 and 19 years old.

·       The tournament also gives players the opportunity to showcase their skills to soccer scouts with the talented players being recruited into development structures to be nurtured and shaped into professional players.