Team South Africa finished in 27th
position, out of 32 teams, at the Danone Nations Cup World Finals tournament
that was played in New York city over the weekend.
Mophela Primary School, of Hammarsdale, KZN,
representing the country as SA Danone Nations Cup champions, beat the team from
England 2-1 in their last playoff game on Sunday. The tournament was won by
Mexico who beat Argentina 2-0 in the final.
England’s strategy in the final game was to play
direct football and to try to upset the South Africans. They scored first when
they won a corner and SA were not able to clear their lines, allowing England
to have two chances at goal, scoring off the second attempt.
South Africa were shell shocked and they battled to
bounce back from the goal but luckily for them, Njabulo Ndlovu, who was their
player of the tournament, was having his best match.
He defended when he needed to, he attacked when he
needed to, and more importantly he scored when he needed to. He scored his
first goal off a free kick that was pinpoint and did not allow the English
goalkeeper a chance to saving it.
His second goal came off a penalty that he executed
with precision.
In the last 3 minutes of the game, once his team had
taken the lead, coach Syabonga Ndimande put all the reserves on the field to
give all the boys a chance to experience playing in the big stadium – the Red
Bull Arena.
England thought that they would have the last say in
the game when they won a free kick 5 meters outside the SA box but Njabulo
managed to clear the ball, and run the length of the field before a deflection
from England stopped him from scoring a hattrick.
The South Africa were very happy to win their last
match of the tournament and dedicated the win to Heritage Day.
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