Author: ongcwabe

After another solid weekend on the pitch, the defending champion, Highlands Park, remains at the top of the Gauteng Development League (GDL) u19 standings.

Heading into their weekend’s assignment, Highlands Park coach Sifiso Mnguni said there was heavy pressure on the Lions of the North, not only as the defending champions but also as the log leaders, with only four fixtures remaining in the season.

While they didn’t win on Saturday, they didn’t lose either, settling for an intense goalless draw with Jomo Cosmos after a back-and-forth contest.

Cosmos, playing for a spot in the top five, was unrelenting in attack, but they were met by the same intensity from Highlands Park, who are determined to go back-to-back as GDL champions.

Goalless on Saturday, the Lions of the North found their goal-scoring form on Sunday, thrashing Kathorus Hyper Academy 5-1 at home, a result which, almost certainly, confirmed their opponent’s relegation.

Just behind Highlands Park on the log, coach Surprise Moriri‘s Mamelodi Sundowns closed the gap after an entertaining 3-2 victory over fifth-placed TS Galaxy at Clapham High on Saturday.

Goals from Mathlogonolo Kotsokoane, Chuene Noabelo, and one from the division’s most decorated goal scorer, Kamva Moni, sealed the deal for the Pretoria-based team. While they are second in the standings, they have two games in hand.

Should Highlands Park fail to get maximum points in their last two fixtures of the season, the league title could go Sundowns’ way.

However, there is another contender. Kaizer Chiefs is still in the running for glory. They’re third on the log, level on points with ‘Downs, but having played a game more. They scored a narrow 1-0 win over Wits Junior at Naturena on Saturday.

RESULTS

Saturday

Remember Elite Sport Academy 1-3 Rosina Sedibane Modiba Sports School
Randburg AFC 2-1 School of Excellence
Panorama 4-3 Sevens Academy
NWU Vaal 0-0 SuperSport United
Mamelodi Sundowns 3-2 TS Galaxy
Kathorus Hyper Academy 2-5 Tuks
Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 Wits Junior
Jomo Cosmos 0-0 Highlands Park
East Rand Athletic Club 2-1 Joburg City

Sunday

Highlands Park 5-1 Kathorus Hyper Academy
Remember Elite Sport Academy 1-0 School of Excellence

“The Last Run” of the 2024 edition of Africa’s best development league, the Gauteng Development League beckons.

The province’s most talented footballers, across three divisions, have laced up their boots and taken to the field for 30 weeks straight in pursuit of an elusive Gauteng Development League trophy.

With only four rounds of fixtures remaining, the defending champions of the u19 division, Highlands Park, sit atop the standings with Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs, SuperSport United, and TS Galaxy completing the top five.

“The Lions of the North” have 77 points, while ‘Downs lie second, with 72 points, ahead of third-placed Chiefs on goal difference. There’s a considerable gap to SuperSport United, in fourth, with 57 points, while TS Galaxy has 50 points.

Sifiso Mnguni, the head coach of the Balfour Park-based Highlands Park, reckons experience plays a very small role at this late stage of the season.

The East Rand-born Mnguni emphasised that the team which embraces the pressure of the next four games will most likely emerge victorious.

“The pressure is there. It can break you or make a diamond out of you,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus. “This is part of the journey and part of life that we are supposed to face. We are supposed to face such difficult moments so that we can grow.

“We’ve got to face situations like these because, irrespective of what could happen, they make us better human beings and make us better footballers. If you can’t handle it, then you have to find another job because here there is always pressure.

“We’ve got to face situations like these because irrespective of what could happen, they make us better human beings and make us better footballers. Experience will work but it’s not enough. We still have to put in a lot of work in these last four games.”

Mnguni has had to watch many of his top players graduate to professional football and, because of that, Highlands Park had a difficult start to the season. He had to rebuild the 2023 title winners while working on the club’s defence of the prestigious title.

Fortunately for the coach, his team has gelled well and now looks almost unbeatable heading into the last two weeks of the league.

After a difficult start to the season, Mnguni said the key to his charges’ success has been their adaptability. Also, he added, the Highlands Park player recruitment team has done an incredible job.

“When the season starts, you have to rebuild. We encountered a lot of different things and we had a lot of new players which made things difficult. It’s a challenge. It hasn’t been easy for us this season,” Mnguni admitted.

“You’ve got to remember that some boys at the u19 level are doing matric and will go to varsity. We always lose players. The difficult part is to rebuild. Also, I think our recruitment has been good because we tried to recruit a few boys from Prestige and Siluma just to get the team balance right.

“But, most importantly, we have been able to adapt and be flexible. At certain times, we don’t have the players that we wish we could have, so we have to try to be flexible. I’m not a one-dimensional coach and I’m not obsessed with playing one way. I’ve got to adapt, especially with where I am when I don’t get the players that I want.

“We’ve got to find the way. We’ve got to try to be flexible. Yes, I’d like to dominate the ball but there are so many facets of the game that you just have to respect.”

Highlands Park takes on Jomo Cosmos on Saturday, away from home.

FIXTURES

Saturday, 19 October

East Rand Athletic Club vs Joburg City
Kaizer Chiefs vs Wits Junior
Kathorus Hyper Academy vs TUKS
Mamelodi Sundowns vs TS Galaxy
NWU Vaal vs SuperSport United
Panorama FC vs Sevens Academy
Randburg AFC vs School of Excellence
Remember Elite Sport Academy FC vs Rosina Modiba Sports School

Sunday, 20 October 
NWU Vaal vs Kaizer Chiefs
East Rand Athletic Club vs TUKS
Mamelodi Sundowns vs Randburg AFC
Remember Elite Sport Academy FC vs School of Excellence
Rosina Modiba Sports School vs Kathorus Hyper Academy

Kaizer Chiefs missed the Gauteng Development League (GDL) last week as they had their sights on the Engen Champion of Champions at Marks Park in Johannesburg.

Coach David Mathebula‘s side, despite being made up of a balanced mixture of 15 and 19-year-olds, won the under-20 tournament courtesy of a sparkling performance by 15-year-old Neo Bohloko in the final against Western Cape-based Stellenbosch FC.

The Soweto giants are set to return to the Gauteng Development League this weekend as they travel to the Tsakane in the Ekurhuleni Municipality to take on seventh-placed East Rand Athletic Club.

Chiefs are behind the log leaders, Highlands Park, by seven points but have the cushion of one game in hand having missed their fixture last weekend.

However, while Chiefs lifted the Champ of Champs trophy, Highlands Park extended their lead in the standings and took it to a reassuring 73 points in 28 matches.

This weekend, the ‘Lions of the North’, will be looking to further establish their dominance in the league and tighten their grip on the top spot when they make the hour drive to Vaal to lock horns against coach Tebello Kheswa’s NWU Vaal FC at George Thabe Stadium.

What has been impressive with the Balfour Park-based Highlands Park is how clinical their goalkeeper, Morobi Moribi, has been all season.

His saves are definitive, and his positioning behind the post is accurate. As a result, Morobi have recorded a jaw-dropping seven clean sheets.

Moreover, Highlands Park has conceded only 13 goals this season, more than half the amount of goals every team in the top five has conceded thus far.

Trailing behind Highlands Park and Kaizer Chiefs is coach Surprise Moriri’s Mamelodi Sundowns.

The unfortunate fate that Moriri and his team have had to deal with this season is well-documented – the rained-out fixtures and the water-clogged fields have seen ‘Downs lose points, allowing Highlands Park and Chiefs to close the gap and eventually leapfrog ahead.

However, for a host of different reasons, ‘Downs have vividly dropped in intensity having had a very dominant first half of the tournament where they went unbeaten.

The Pretoria-based side will welcome 16th-placed Joburg City in Clapham High for their 28th fixture of the season.

With only four weeks remaining in the Gauteng Development League season, this weekend’s game promises to entertain the fans in the stadiums throughout the Gauteng province and viewers that are tuning in on the action via the SuperSport Schools App and DStv Channel 216.

Fixtures: 

East Rand Athletic Club vs Kaizer Chiefs
Kathorus Hyper Academy vs Jomo Cosmos
Mamelodi Sundowns vs Joburg City
NWU Vaal FC vs Highlands Park
Panorama FC vs Wits Junior
Randburg AFC vs TUKS
Rosina Sedibane Modiba Sports School vs SuperSport United
School of Excellence vs Sevens Academy

Former Orlando Pirates‘ goalkeeper Brighton Mhlongo, was present at Marks Park on the weekend to watch the country’s most exciting youngsters go head-to-head.

The Engen Champ of Champs brand ambassador saw Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies win the boys’ and ladies’ tournaments against top teams from other regions of South Africa. He was impressed with the talent on display, Mhlongo said.

“This has been yet another exciting edition of the Engen Champ of Champs, where talent was given an opportunity to shine,” he enthused.

“It is encouraging to see how the gap has significantly narrowed in both the boys’ and girls’ divisions, proving that the tournament is becoming more and more competitive.”

Thabo Senong, another tournament brand ambassador, shared his satisfaction with the quality of the football played at the three-day tournament.

Senong, who recently took up a position with Fifa, touched on the quality of coaching at the tournament, saying that it has been truly exciting to witness young coaches implementing current coaching methods.

“The talent has been exceptional, but what is equally important to note is the quality of coaching that we have seen,” Senong explained.

“I have been encouraged to see how these young coaches, both in the boys’ and girls’ divisions, have been experimenting and implementing current coaching trends – a clear indication of a good future for South African coaches,” he added.

ENGEN CHAMP OF CHAMPS WINNERS

GIRLS

Goalkeeper of the Tournament: Aphiwe Msomi – Durban Ladies
Defender of the Tournament: Michaela Swartz – Mamelodi Sundowns
Midfielder of the Tournament: Siphesihle Magazi – Mamelodi Sundowns
Top Goalscorer: Kagiso Dintiwe – Cape Town Roses
Striker of the Tournament: Kwezi Khoza – Durban Ladies
Coach of the Tournament: Andisiwe Mgcoyi – Mamelodi Sundowns
Player of the Tournament: Kwezi Khoza -Durban Ladies
Match Official of the Tournament: Kgotso Mashamba

BOYS

Goalkeeper of the Tournament: Alizna Canca – Ebhayi FC
Defender of the Tournament: Tashiel Rugunanan – Kaizer Chiefs
Midfielder of the Tournament: Luthando Azasakhe – Stellenbosch FC
Top Goalscorer: Nizaam Fleux – Kaizer Chiefs FC
Striker of the Tournament: Tlotlang Gaseitisioe – Kaizer Chiefs FC
Coach of the Tournament: David Mathebula – Kaizer Chiefs FC
Player of the Tournament: Tashiel Rugunanan – Kaizer Chiefs

Engen, through their country-wide Knockout Challenge, has, for many years, provided a platform from which talented players and coaches have been able to flourish in their careers.

There have been players, coaches, and administrators, too, whose fortunes have catapulted after featuring in the tournament, which entered its 22nd year of existence in 2024.

The latest example of that is Pimville-born Thabo Senong, who is an Engen ambassador. His history with the tournament stretches back to 2010, when he served as a youth coach with Orlando Pirates.

The 44-year-old has since taken the next step in his career, being handpicked Arsene Wenger to form part of Fifa’s Technical Development Scheme.

“I’ve just joined Fifa in August as a Fifa talent coach, which is a programme that falls under the technical development scheme, which is the idea pioneered by the Chiefs of Global Development at Fifa, coach Arsene Wenger,” said Senong.

“He wants to improve countries that are struggling and close the gap between developing countries and the leading nations in football,” he added.

Senong, who will be stationed in Malawi, has given credit to Engen for the platform they have provided, not only for himself but for coaches who are currently making headway in the Premier Soccer League, as well as up-and-coming coaches who are making a name for themselves in youth football.

“We are all products of this tournament and that’s where we started. I was at Pirates under Professor [Augusto] Palacios. We won it twice,” said Senong.

“It has produced a lot of coaches. Coach Kwanele Kopo is coaching Chippa United, and he has coached in this tournament a number of times. [There is also] coach Arthur Zwane at Kaizer Chiefs, so this tournament has produced a lot of coaches, and there are more up-and-coming coaches like coach ‘DVD‘ (David Mathebula), coach Andisiwe Mcgoyi (Mamelodi Sundowns), and a whole lot of others.

“You can see that it is a well-rounded tournament that gives us experts from the administration and technical sides, not only players,” he explained.

Kaizer Chiefs captured the 2024 Engen Champ of Champs, their second trophy of the season, when they beat Stellenbosch FC 1-0 at Marks Park on Sunday, courtesy of a stunning goal from Neo Bohloko.

Who would’ve seen this successful run unfolding for the mighty Soweto giants a year or two ago?

Perhaps only coach David Mathebula would have had the vision for it in his mind but certainly, even with a coach of his ambition, he would have had moments of doubt as his team was far away from being as clinical as they are now on the pitch.

Locally, Chiefs were nowhere near being the best club in Gauteng as Highlands Park and Mamelodi Sundowns brutally asserted their dominance in the under-19 division in the province.

However, Mathebula, in an exclusive interview with SuperSport Schools Plus 11 months ago, whispered, “We want to dominate”.

A year later, Mathebula has successfully added two trophies to the Amakhosi’s cabinet, the Gauteng leg of the Engen Knockout Challenge and the national Engen Champ of Champs this past weekend.

On their way to the final at Marks Park, Chiefs faced stiff competition and got past all of their opposition relatively unscathed.

In the group stages, they registered victories over Virginia Sports Academy and Shayamoya FC, while they settled for draws against eBhayi FC and Tlhotlhokwe FC to top Group 1 and qualify for a semi-final showdown with Galeshewe FC.

Mathebula’s team dealt comfortably with Galeshewe FC, scoring a dominant 2-0 victory, to book their spot in the final and eventually win the tournament.

While Stellenbosch heads back to the Western Cape as the runner-up, the Port Elizabeth-based eBhayi FC took third place after beating Galeshewe FC 5-3 in a penalty shootout.

Chiefs’ dominance in the tournament was further highlighted with Bohloko walking away with the Top Goal Scorer Award. At the same time, another brilliant youngster, Tashiel Rugunanan, secured the Defender of the Tournament Award.

In the Ladies division, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies walked away with the trophy after beating Durban Ladies 1-0.

The Engen Champ of Champs has officially kicked off, running through to September 29, at the prestigious Wits Marks Park Sports Ground. The tournament has already captured the attention of youth football enthusiasts, showcasing the immense talent of aspiring young athletes from across the country.

As the first day unfolded, the competition was fierce, with teams eager to make their mark. In the boys’ division, Shayamoya has emerged as a standout performer, dominating their group with impressive teamwork and skill. Their determination and tactical execution have set a high standard, making them a formidable contender throughout the tournament.

On the girls’ side, Sundowns Ladies has taken the tournament by storm, showcasing flair and confidence on the pitch. Their ability to work cohesively as a unit has made them the team to watch, propelling them to the top of their group with a display of exciting football that has left spectators eager for more.

As the tournament continues, anticipation builds for the remaining matches, with fans excited to see if these top-performing teams can maintain their momentum. The Engen Champ of Champs is proving to be a celebration of youth football, bringing together talent, passion, and the spirit of competition.

Boys Full Results 
Virginia Sports Academy 2-0 Tlhotljokwe FC
Kaizer Chiefs 2-2 Ebhayi FC
Shayamoya 2-0 Virginia Sports Academy
Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 Tlhotlhokwe FC
Ebhayi FC 1-1 Shayamoya FC
Ebenezer FC 1-2 Juventus
Stellenbosch 1-0 Galeshewe

Ladies Full Results 
Storm Ladies 3-0 Ixias Ladies
Mamelodi Sundowns 4-0 Sisters FC
Diamond Ladies 0-0 Storm Ladies
Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0 Ixias Ladies
Sisters FC 1-1 Diamond Ladies
Nav Galaxy 0-2 Durban Ladies
Cape Town Roses 5-0 Thames Ladies

The battle lines have officially been drawn after Engen, in partnership with the Johannesburg Football Association, conducted the official draw for the 2024 Engen Champ of Champs on Wednesday.

The Marks Park Sports Complex in Johannesburg will once again host the much-anticipated finals, which will be played  from 27-30 September

New winners are guaranteed because the defending champions, Mamelodi Sundowns (Boys u18) and the University of Johannesburg (Girls u20) were eliminated during the Engen Knockout Challenge in July.

Exciting competition is expected with teams showing great improvement during the provincial knockouts, which were attended by Engen Knockout Challenge ambassadors, Brighton Mhlongo, Thabo Senong, and Akhona Makalima.

Wednesday’s draw for the three-day event threw up some mouth-watering ties, with Kaizer Chiefs headlining an interesting Group A, which also includes Ebhayi FC, who swept all the age group titles in the Eastern Cape League finals this past weekend.

In the girls’ section, Mamelodi Sundowns, drawn in Group A, stand out as one of the favourites and they’ll be the pick of many to go all the way. 

Sharing his thoughts on the draw, Kaizer Chiefs’ Youth Coach and former player, David Mathebula said: “The team is looking forward to the tournament. This is a title we once lifted and, with home-ground advantage and a strong-willed team, we are confident of putting up a good showing that will hopefully produce the desired results.”

Also present at the draw was Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies’ coach, Andisiwe Mgcoyi who said, “Winning this tournament has given our players great confidence. The team knows the importance of winning such a tournament but we know that it will not be easy.

“We are competing against quality teams from across the country, so we cannot take anything for granted,” Mgcoyi warned.

Engen Champ of Champs Draw

Boys

GROUP A: Virginia Sports Academy, Ebhayi FC,  Thlolhokwe FC, Kaizer Chiefs FC, Shayamoya FC

GROUP B: Ebenezer FC, Stellenbosch FC, Sasol Juventus, Galeshewe Stars FC

Girls

GROUP A: Storm Ladies FC, Sisters FC, Ixias Ladies FC, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies FC, Diamond FC.

GROUP B: Nav Galaxy FC, Thames Ladies FC, Durban Ladies, Cape Town Roses.

 

Despite cold, gloomy, and wet weather throughout Gauteng over the weekend, the Gauteng Development League (GDL) once again took centre stage as the race for silverware and bragging rights continued.

While the harsh weather conditions kept some supporters away from the games, they took it in through live-streaming on SuperSport Schools, which ensured no action was missed.

WATCH: Football On 216

For the teams that occupy the top three spots in the league’s standings – Highlands Park, Kaizer Chiefs, and Mamelodi Sundowns – every fixture is of the utmost importance. After all, only eight more rounds remained on the league’s schedule heading into the weekend’s games.

Randburg AFC and Jomo Cosmos kicked things off at the Randburg Sports Complex, where the clubs’ u13 teams played to a goalless draw. Randburg picked up a 2-1 victory in the u15 division, but Cosmos took all three points in the u19 division with a 3-1 win.

Sevens Academy hosted Tuks at Woodlands International College. They won the u13 match 3-1, the u15 clash 2-1, and the u17 game 1-0, but an own goal gave Tuks a narrow victory in the meeting of the u19 sides.

Coach Tebello Kheswa‘s NWU Vaal FC beat Kathorus Hyper Academy 3-1 at the George Thebe Stadium, with forward Mesuli Ndlovu enjoying an excellent outing for the winners.

School of Excellence handed Wits Junior a 3-1 defeat at Marks Park, and Kaizer Chiefs beat Panorama FC 4-2 to close out the weekend’s fixtures.

RESULTS

Panorama FC 2-4 Kaizer Chiefs
Randburg AFC 1-3 Jomo Cosmos
Sevens Academy 1-2 Tuks
NWU Vaal FC 3-1 Kathorus Hyper Academy
School of Excellence 3-1 Wits Junior

Curro Nelspruit High School‘s Sandile Khoza, an 18-year-old matriculant, is currently in the United Kingdom where he is undergoing a trial camp with players from all over the world.

The hope is for the 18-year-old to bag a contract with one of the highly respected UK academies, build a career overseas, and set himself up for a long and successful career playing in the Premier League.

The camp is being staged in Manchester, which means that, among others, scouts from the highly respected Manchester United Academy and Manchester City Academy will be present.

Khoza’s coach, Devon Eaton, described how the opportunity came about for the youngster.

“What happened was that he went through to a training camp at Camp Discovery where there were a lot of scouts. It was a three- or four-day camp where they were put through drills,” Eaton told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“It was more for them to learn and for the scouts to have a look. That’s where he was spotted and how the opportunity came about. It was pretty much straight after that they got in communication with him and started lining up this whole process

“I think the trials will go all the way through to October, where there will be a bunch of academies that will be there watching,” he added.

Having coached Khoza from the age of 16, coach Eaton told SuperSport Schools that the youngster was not quite sure about whether or not he wanted to play school football.

“He was, actually, indecisive about playing school soccer. After he decided to play, from there he was number one,” said Eaton.

He described Khoza as a versatile player, one who could play any position on the field.

“I think he’s been the top goal scorer and has had the top assists from Grade 10 through to this year. Now, this year, he’s going to win football player of the year again, and I don’t think it will ever happen again.

“This boy can play anywhere. In Grade 10, we played him at centre-back and he was just a wall in that position. He was unstoppable and no one could get past him.

“From defence, all the way through to attack, he can flip the switch. We often give him a free-roaming game because he creates magic. The game could be tight and there’s Andile creating something,” he enthused.