Empangeni High School beats reigning Kay Motsepe Schools Cup champs to reach the provincial finals

Empangeni High School, in just their second year of competing in the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup competition, sponsored by the Motsepe Foundation and Sanlam, have eliminated last year’s KwaZulu-Natal provincial champions and national runners-up, Tholokuhle High School, in the UThugulu District regional finals.  The school will now represent the district in the provincial finals happening on 18^th and 19^th September.

Last year’s participation in the tournament did not go according to plan for Empangeni as there were problems with some of the players documents and they were unable to field their strongest side. That’s all been sorted out now and they have shown themselves to be serious contenders said coach, Busani Biyela

Biyela explained that while they are newcomers to the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, they are regular competitors in the Kloof High School Tournament, an annual event featuring 48 schools from different provinces. “The highest level we have ever reached in that tournament is the semi finals and we might not know much about the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup but we will have played against many of the schools involved.”

Biyela was an amateur soccer player growing up and says that the moment he started teaching in 2005 he also started coaching because of his love of the game and desire to develop youngster.

The school has one player, the captain, Sanele Nene who is affiliated to the Jomo Cosmos Academy and has played for the KZN u-19 team and the SA u-17 team. “He is an outstanding central mid fielder and we will be looking forward to great things from him in the games to come,” Biyela said.

Playing against Tholokuhle in the regional play offs was not intimidating according to the coach. “We went into the tournament confident and with the will to win regardless of whether we were playing against defending champs or not. I always emphasise the fact that all teams have 11 players on the field and they have as much chance of winning as we do, but what sets us apart from other teams is how we play our mental game. I believe that is how we outplayed the defending champs, we came into the final game with a positive attitude and we beat them fair and square.”

UThungulu District playoffs results:

GROUP A

Siphosethu 0 (4) vs Tholokuhle 0 (2)

Mgithswa 0 (2) vs Ikhandlela 0 (4)

Siphosethu 1 vs Mgithswa 0

Tholokuhle 2 vs Ikhandlela 1

Siphosethu 0 vs Ikhandlela 1

Tholokuhle 1 vs Mgithswa 0

GROUP B

Sizakahle 1 vs Welabasha 0

Mningi 0 vs Zinqobele 2

Empangei 3 vs Mningi 0

Sizakahle 0 (1) vs Zinqobele 0 (3)

Welabasha 0 vs Emnpangeni 0

Empangeni 0 (2) vs Sizakahle 0 (4)

Welabasha 2 vs Mningi 0

Empangeni 2 vs Zinqobele 0

Mningi 1 vs Sizakahle 4

Welabasha 2 vs Zinqobele 1

GROUP C

Entembeni 0 vs Gijimana 1

Ongoye 0 (4) vs Balondo 0 (2)

Gijimana 2 vs Ongoye 0

Etembeni 0 vs Balondo 1

Gijimana 0 (1) vs Balondo 0(4)

Etembeni 0 vs Ongoye 0

GROUP D

Kwanxusa 0 (4) vs Masakhane 0 (1)

Gwejobomvu 1 (4) vs Bhekikusasa 1 (3)

Kwanxusa 0 (6) vs Gwejobomvu 0 (5)

Masakahne 0 (1) vs Bhekikusasa 0 (3)

Kwanxusa 0(3) vs Bhekikusasa 0 (1)

Masakhane 1 vs Gwejobomvu 2

SEMI FINALS

Empangeni 2 vs Gijimana 0

Tholokuhle 1 vs Gwejobomvu 0

FINAL

Empangeni 1 (5) vs Tholokuhle 1 (4)