Author: ongcwabe

JOHANNESBURG.– SuperSport United head into the weekend fixtures looking to bounce back from an uncharacteristic defeat to 14^th-placed Wits Junior last weekend as the u19 division of the league draws closer to its end.

Round 27 of the Gauteng Development is set to get underway this coming weekend as the chasing pack in the u19 division looks to close the gap on the log-leaders Highlands Park.

With more or less seven fixtures remaining in the season for most of the teams, the league is heating up as teams look to secure spots in ‘Africa’s best development league.’

Following the one-nil defeat to Wits Junior last weekend, SuperSport United have slipped down outside the top-five for the first time in the league.

The ‘Matsatsantsa aPitori’ will be eyeing to force their way back into the top five when they take on seventh-placed TS Galaxy this weekend, and looking at the form Galaxy is in, it will be by no means an easy fixture.

On the other-hand, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns are level on points at the moment and are separated by goal-difference, which the Soweto giants have working in their favour as they sit second on the log-standings.

Sundowns have a tricky assignment this weekend as they prepare to take on bottom-placed Joburg City, a team that’s looking to revive their 2023 campaign following their 4-1 victory over Panorama FC last weekend.

As history has it, bottom-placed teams tend to have a lot more to fight for towards the end of the season and thus Sundowns find themselves with a rather steep challenge coming their way.

Chiefs will take on Prestige Football Development Academy this weekend while fourth-placed School Of Excellence are set to lock horns against a high-in-confidence Wits Junior.

Round 27 Fixtures 16 September 2023:

JOHANNESBURG. – Highlands Park have seven more games left in the season and it is all in their hands to ensure they wrap-up what would be a momentous achievement for the club should they win this year’s Gauteng Development League U19 division.

Week-in-week-out, Highlands Park keep finding ways to come out on the winning side of some tough fixtures, and this past weekend was no different for the Balfour-Park based outfit.

This past weekend, they took on seventh-placed TS Galaxy and were given a run for their money.

It was a closely contested game at the ETS Stadium in Roodepoort, but just like any successful team, Highlands Park walked away with a one-nil victory, stealing a crucial three points from the home team.

This coming weekend, the log-leaders take on Siluma 7, a team that is placed 11^th in the log-standings.

Siluma 7 have won three of their last five games and coming from a 3-2 victory over Kagiso Porto Academy this past weekend, they sure will pose a threat to the log-leaders.

Furthermore, Mamelodi Sundowns are not too far off in the heated chase to finish top of the log-standings; eight points behind the log-leaders with a game in hand, the ‘Brazilians’ have it within reach to finish on top, they only need to play their cards right.

Faced with an incredibly tough opponent in Supersport United this past weekend, Sundowns did a commendable job to win the Tshwane derby on Sunday afternoon, and as well all know,  grabbing three points against Supersport United is an achievement of note.

Sitting second on the log, every fixture is now an important fixture for Sundowns as only seven rounds of fixtures remain in the season.

To further make a case for themselves, the ‘Brazilians’ will square off agaainst Prestige Football Development Academy this coming Saturday before facing bottom placed Joburg City the following weekend.

For School of Excellence who’re placed third in the league, Kaizer Chiefs at fourth and Randburg at fifth place, any chances of winning the league would require a massive turnaround and a number of results to go their way.

Nonetheless, the three teams have fought long and hard all year to find themselves in top five in what is the ‘Best Development League in Africa’.

GDL Fixtures 9 September 2023:

The u19 division of the Gauteng Development League was rocked with the passing of Mfundo Bophelo, a long serving Supersport United Academy administrator thus leading to the rescheduling of the most anticipated fixture of the weekend against archrivals Mamelodi Sundowns.

The GDL had a rather sad start to round 24 as the league’s coordinator Mr Muzi Shangase announced the rescheduling of the Supersport United and Mamelodi Sundowns clash.

Not only was this a massive clash in terms of the U19 log standings, it is also a rivalry between two Pretoria-based teams that always attracts attention to the growing league.

The rescheduling was in response to the passing of Mfundo Bophelo, an admin staff at Supersport United Academy.

In the context of the log standings, this has meant that both teams have a game-in-hand but as we all know in football – momentum is key and having had an unexpected stop to their campaign, it becomes a growing concern whether or not Sundowns will be negatively impacted by the rescheduling.

In other fixtures of the division, Highlands Park picked up where they left-off with a ten-nil mauling of the struggling Jomo Cosmos outfit, extending their lead at the top of the log to four points.

Remember, Jomo Sono bought the old Highlands Park team back in 1983 and turned it into Jomo Cosmos FC, thus declaring every encounter featuring the two teams a personal and emotional clash for the two clubs’ owners.

On the other hand, Kaizer Chiefs and Randburg AFC were able to keep their spots in the top five with 2-nil and 3-nil victories over TUKS and Rosina Sedibane Modiba Sports School respectively.

School of Excellence FC kept their spot in the top five of the log despite suffering a 2-1 loss to the Pretige Football Development Academy, while Joburg City’s struggles in the U19 division continue to be vividly displayed in their bottom of the log placing having lost over 60% of their season fixtures.

However, the U17 division remains a Supersport United dominated campaign.

Despite not playing over the weekend, the Pretoria-based team kept its position at the top of the log, enjoying a ten-point lead over second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns U17.

Furthermore, Kaizer Chiefs locked horns with TUKS over the weekend and despite Chiefs’ good form in the league, the trip to Pretoria was never going to be an easy task.

Despite TUKS’ famous fighting spirit, the Soweto giants stumped their authority over the hosts with a 4-1 victory away from home to take them to 49 points in the league, 11 behind log leaders. 

Chiefs, Randburg AFC, and Kathorus Hyper Academy fill the remaining three spots of the top five of the U17 division while Kagiso Porto remain bottom of the log with only a single victory this season.  

The action is set to return on 26 August as the league draws closer to its conclusion. 

Supersport United and Mamelodi Sundowns are set to headline an exciting round of weekend fixtures in the Gauteng Development League. 

The u17 division of the Gauteng Development League has been a one-team show.

The SuperSport United u17s have been far ahead of every team throughout the season and the log standings tell a vivid story of their dominance. 

On the pitch, Supersport United u17s are a well-put-together unit so much that even when the main u17 players receive call-ups to the u19 division and semi-professional competitions, fringe players that are within the Supersport United u17 division are able to make the step up and maintain their flawless standards. 

As log leaders, Supersport United have lost only one out of 23 matches and have accumulated 60 points thus far. They have scored the most goals at this stage in the season with a whopping 81 goals netted and 29 goals conceded.

Sitting second are Mamelodi Sundowns u17s with 50 points in the campaign, having uncharacteristically suffered three losses in the competition. 

Kaizer Chiefs, Randburg AFC and the Kathorus Hyper Academy all make up the rest of the top five log standings in the u17 division.

This weekend, log leaders will welcome their Pretoria neighbours, Mamelodi Sundowns, in what is a highly anticipated fixture.

Kaizer Chiefs will visit TUKS, Kathorus Hyper Academy will lock horns with TS Galaxy, while Randburg AFC face off against the Rosina Sedibane Modiba Sports School.

On the other hand, the u19 division has been a different story in that a team that is often referred to as a ‘minor’ team has finally brought the mighty Mamelodi Sundowns u19s to a standstill as far as dominating the league is concerned. 

Like how the Sundowns senior team in the Premier Soccer League have dominated South African football, their u19 team were making a name for themselves in similar fashion in the highly competitive GDL. 

Mamelodi Sundowns have topped the u19 division throughout the season but somehow Highlands Park have been able to go top of the log after last weekend’s action. 

Highlands Park, based at the Balfour Alexander Football Club in Johannesburg, are sitting top of the log with 55 points while Sundowns are placed second with 54 points in the bag.

School of Excellence, Kaizer Chiefs and Randburg AFC all make up the remainder of the top five spots in the u19 division. 

Supersport United u19s are sitting just outside the top five and will be hosting a determined Sundowns outfit, while Highlands Park will host Jomo Cosmos Football Club.

All the action will be available for streaming on SuperSport Schools on Saturday from 10:30 am SAST.

Gqeberha – Port Shepstone High School and Glenwood High School have booked a spot in the final of the KZN Schools Coastal league that will be staged on Wednesday, 14 June 2023.

After three intense rounds of group stage fixtures in the KwaZulu-Natal Schools Coastal League, four teams progressed into the semi-final leg of the tournament.

The league was structured into two groups, ‘A’ and ‘B’, and it was apparent from the get go that it was going to be an intense competition with all eight teams keen to make the playoff stages.

Westville Boys High School topped Group ‘A’ with two wins and one draw, while Port Shepstone High School took the top spot in Group ‘B’ after winning all three group stage fixtures.

Durban High School (DHS) took the second spot in Group ‘A’, while Glenwood High School finished a spot below Port Shepstone High School in Group ‘B’.

The semi-finals were set with Westiville Boys taking on Glenwood while DHS took on Port Shepstone.

The fixtures were scheduled for 31^st May but bad weather meant that the fixtures had to be rescheduled to the 7^th of June 2023.

The two semis were closely competed with both games going down to the wire. As a result, both games were decided on penalties after the referees blew their whistles with scores level 0-0 in both encounters.

Ultimately, Glenwood High School came out victorious over Westville Boys High School with the penalty scoreline reading 4-3.

On the other hand, Port Shepstone booked a spot in the final after defeating DHS 3-0 on penalties on Wednesday, 7 June 2023.

The two schools, Glenwood and Port Shepstone will lock horns on Wednesday, 14 June 2023 where the championship status for the KZN coastal region will be up for grabs.

It is important to note that Port Shepstone High School are favourites going into this encounter having beaten Glenwood High School in the group stages.

But coach Khaya Mngwengwe’s Glenwood boys will know that all the pressure is on Port Shepstone to repeat their group stage performance.

Gqeberha – Glenwood High School football coach, Khaya Mngwengwe, sang his praises for the wonderful work SuperSport Schools has done so far and gave insight on just how impactful the platform has been in the KZN region and in the country at large.

Before the SuperSport Schools plaform, a few sporting codes at the schools level became national news in the country, and even those that did, only did so on special occassions.

Besides the history-rich rugby festivals, there weren’t as many sporting codes, at school level, that had exposure in the country, at least not at the level it has reached since the inception of the SuperSport Schools platform.

Since SuperSport Schools began its journey broadcasting school sports, the landscape has taken a positive turn around as fans all over the country tune in to the livestreams and engage on social media about their favourite school players and coaches that impress week in, week out.

Glenwood High School soccer coach, Khaya Mngwengwe, told SuperSport School News in an exclusive interview that the broadcasting of school sports has changed things for the better.

“SuperSport Schools has done great things for school sports in the country,” said Mngwengwe whose u19 team qualified for the KZN Schools League semi-final.

“What I like the most is the fact that they don’t only broadcast u19 sports. They go as far as the u15’s across all sporting codes which means more and more players get exposure.

“For the schools it is a great exposure as well. Gone are the days where we’d have to wait for the Sunday newspapers for the country to be able to follow and keep track of how our favourite schools and players are doing in their respective sporting codes.” He added.

Mngwengwe emphasized how the livestreams have changed the game from a coaching point of view.

The man from KZN mentioned how the streams have made their jobs as coaches a little easier in that they now can watch opposition tactics and prepare their players accordingly.

“For us as coaches it helps in terms of formulating plans and strategies against opposition teams because now, we have access to the footage, meaning we can watch how the opposition plays and how we can counter that.

“You’ve got to make sure that your team is well prepared because now the whole world is watching and as a coach, your credibility is on the line and also your team’s reputation is on the line.” He added.

Too many times, Gauteng sport takes center stage in the country because of all the sponsorships that are involved in school sports in that region.

There’s no denying that the Gauteng region is more developed than any other region in the country and that goes hand-in-hand with the quality of players the region produces.

There’s better facilities and academies in the Gauteng region and that affords their players an advantage over any player coming from other regions in the country.

Mngwengwe acknowledged this but also mentioned that the work SuperSport Schools does also exposes the talents in the KZN region, a region where big club scouts would not necessarily prioritise.

With SuperSport Schools broadcasting school sports in the KZN region and other lesser recognised regions, scouts from around the country have more data to look into.

“It has changed things across the board for KZN football as well because now we can showcase to the country and to the world that we do have talented coaches and players and that we have a well-structured league and other tournaments down here.” He said.

Only bigger and better things are expected from all the work SuperSport Schools is doing all around the country.

GQEBERHA – With the Stutterheim High School’s first team leading the way in the Buffalo City League, the man nurturing the talents of the Stutterheim region, Mila Abrahams, says his job and that of every coach in the league is to produce players for the professional football.

To everyone’s surprise, the Stutterheim High School first team has had a fantastic start to the league this season.

Looking at the campaign that this Eastern Cape based team endured last season, almost everyone ruled them out of any real contention this season.

Mila Abrahams, the coach at Stutterheim High, admitted to his concerns at the beginning of the year citing to the lack of experience in his squad in relation to squads of the past.

Somehow, Abrahams’ boys have found a way to gel together as a unit to force results in their favour.

“It’s a relief because I didn’t think this particular squad was going to do this well to be honest,” Abrahams told SuperSport Schools News in an exclusive interview.

“Last year we had a very strong squad whereas this year we don’t have that much soccer players. We depend on some of the rugby players to fill in the gaps and we are a young squad as compared to last year.

“To my surprise the guys are doing quite well and we see them fight game after game.” He added.

Going into this week’s fixtures, Abrahams reiterated the main objective of every coach in the league – to produce well-rounded players for professional football.

Coming from Stutterheim, one of the economically struggling towns in the Eastern Cape, it is a pleasant surprise to learn that Abrahams has the belief and drive to honour the big responsibility of preparing and inspiring young talents of the Stutterheim region to higher heights.

“I think the aim of this whole league is to help produce players for good clubs who will then nurture the talent a lot better and take that talent to professional set ups around the country.” Said Abrahams.

The log-leaders will have a much-needed break from the park this week and will watch the rest of the teams battle it out for the top five spots on the log standings.

Buffalo City League Mid-Week Fixtures:

• Dale College vs Bayville High School (16 May 2023 at 14:30)
• George Rendall vs Dale College (17 May 2023 at 15:00)
• Selborne College vs Hudson Park (17 May 2023 at 15:00)
• Merrifield College vs Bayville High School (18 May at 15:30)
• Merrifield College vs Sakhikamva High School (19 May at 14:30)

GQEBERHA – King Williamstown’s Dale College put on an impressive display in the mid-week fixtures of the Buffalo City League and squeeze into the top five on the log standings.

Dale College, one of South Africa’s highly respected boy’s schools, had an incredible week that saw them bounce back in style having missed a number of fixtures earlier in the season.

Dale College has produced many sporting greats and has a rich history of sport and academics. They are known for producing Makhaya Ntini, one of South Africa’s most iconic sporting figures.

When they missed a number of fixtures earlier in the season, they found themselves in a difficult position and catching up to the log leaders appeared to be a rather steep mountain to climb.

This week, Dale College boys begun their catch on a positive note with two victories in two consecutive days.

They beat Bayville High School by a mammoth 3-1 score-line on Tuesday and followed up with a 2-1 victory over George Randell on Wednesday afternoon. As a result of their performances this week, Dale College climbed two spots up on the log and are well positioned at fourth place with three games in hand.

Mali Abrahams’ boys at Stutterheim High School still comfortably occupy the top spot on the log while Selborne College and the Center of Excellence take second and third spot.

In other results in the week, Merrifield College easily pushed Baysville High School aside and handed them a 3-0 defeat to conclude what was a difficult week for Bayville who also lost to Dale College by a huge margin earlier in the week.

Selborne and Hudson Park High School also locked horns this week in what was a close game with Selborne coming out victorious. The two teams put on a show in East London and gave their fans proper entertainment as the match saw seven goals scored and a 4-3 score-line in favour of Selborne High School.

On the other hand, the Center of Excellence continued their winnings ways by beating Cathcart 2-1 to maintain their third-place position on the log standings.

Buffalo City League Log Standings

GQEBERHA – Stutterheim High School extended their win streak to seven games and solidified their spot at the top of the Buffalo City League table.

Leading up to the mid-week fixtures, Stutterheim High School had a one-point lead ahead of Selborne College at second on the log standings.

The three remaining spots in the top five were occupied by the Center of Excellence, Cathcart High School and Merrifield College respectively.

It is important to note that King Williamstown’s Dale College, placed sixth on the log standings prior to the mid-week fixtures, were five games behind top-placed Stutterheim but only trailed by nine points.

Dale College were unbeaten heading into the mid-week fixtures and when they were faced with Selborne College on Wednesday afternoon, they proved why they have been unbeaten in the tournament up to that point.

It ended in a goalless draw between Dale College and Selborne College which meant Selborne had closed the gap and were tied on points with tabvle-topping Stutterheim High School.

Another goalless draw was between George Randall High School and Baysville High. The result didn’t help either teams as they needed maximum points to move out of the last four spots on the log.

On the other hand, the boys from the Center of Excellence handed Hudson Park High a beating of note, putting four past the Hudson Park High goalkeeper while Hudson Park just couldn’t get one on the board.

On Thursday afternoon, to wrap up what has been an exciting mid-week fixture list, Stutterheim beat Cathcart High School two-nil and solidified their spot at the top of the log.

Stutterheim High School is now on 22 points, two points ahead Selborne College.

The Mamelodi Sundowns u19 team remain unbeaten as the Gauteng Development League moves over to the 12th round of fixtures. 

Schools sports continues to take center stage across South Africa and one of the leading sports tournaments in the country, the Gauteng Development League, has been at the forefront of it all. 

The country was in awe yesterday as one of the GDL products, Vicky Mkhawana, stole the show in South Africa u17’s 3-2 victory over Zambia in the Africa Cup of Nations u17 tournament. 

The star is one the many youngsters who compete in the GDL week in week out, and on occasion even feature in the senior competitions in the country. 

One of the rising stars in the tournament has recently captured the attention of one of the top football clubs in the world – England’s West Ham United. 

Vuyo Buthelezi dons the white and navy blue of the Wits Junior Academy and he might just travel to England to be part of the West Ham United Academy.

His Wits Junior teammates, though, will be competing this week in the GDL as they host School Of Excellence in Pretoria on Saturday. 

The race is to topple the log-leading Mamelodi Sundowns u19 who remain unbeaten in the tournament thus far. 

The ‘Ka Bo yellow, Masandawana’, as Mamelodi Sundowns football club are famously called, have a solid structure that runs from the ground up. 

The senior team has already won the DSTV Premiership and are also dominating African football year-in, year-out. 

They are setting the standard for all African football clubs to follow. 

Their u19 team follows the same winning culture. They currently sit top of the log despite being one match behind.

Kaizer Chiefs u19, School Of Excellence u19, Highlands Park u19 and Randburg FC u19 all make up the top five on the log standings. 

The main questions is – who will hand Mamelodi Sundowns its first loss of the season? 

Fixtures for Week 12:

Mamelodi Sundowns vs Joburg City
Kathorus Hyper vs Panaroma FC
Kaizer Chiefs vs Prestige Football Development Academy
Kagiso Porto Academy vs Randburg
Jomo Cosmos vs Remember Elite Sports Academy
Highland Parks vs Rosina Sedibane Modiba
Wits Junior vs School of Excellence
Tuks vs Siluma 7
TS Galaxy vs Supersport United