League update at lockdown

As our country experiences our first lockdown we take the time to have a look at what stage in the season the SAFA 3rd division was suspended and its impact.

After round 17 Hanover Park are at the summit due to a better goal difference than Greenwood Athletic and newcomers Crystal Palace as all three teams have 31 points. Hot on their heels is Cape Town City with 30 points who also have the best goal difference in the league due to their high goal-scoring rate of 45 goals in 17 matches.

Other newcomers Woodlands, who have been doing well to keep in the top 5 are only 2 points (29) adrift from the top 3 while former log leaders Silver Spurs are in 6th spot with 28 points.

Between 8th and 1st place sees only a 5 point difference which offered an exciting scenario before the suspension of the league.

Matroosfontein who was at the same time last season in the top 3, are now facing relegation as they are rooted at the bottom with only 8 points and recording 2 wins this season. Cape Town United and Goal 50 are part of the threatened relegation mix and are in danger of the drop if they fail to record some positive results once the league resumes or IF it resumes.

Teams having a better record this season compared to last year are Bluegum United, Rebels, Bellstar and Cape Town City, with the latter in the top 5.

With the lockdown imposed having 21 days without any activity all clubs are in an unfamiliar and scary position with a vast number of challenges facing clubs.

Player fitness and readiness is probably the most concerning for technical staff as players might be keeping physically fit at home, but will need time to adapt to match fitness post the lockdown.

The ability to adapt to the time off will determine which teams will benefit the most if a return does happen. If the league does resume then the break may offer clubs like Matroosfontein, Cape Town United and Goal 50 an opportunity to recover as the lockdown might serve as a leveler as it is possible that other teams will struggle to continue the form they had before the break.

Another talking point is that the uncertainty of the restart to the league may cause some teams to lose key players. Although the 3rd Division is an amateur league, some teams do remunerate players and the fact that there are no matches taking place, may cause players not to be paid.

The reality of the matter is that the 21-day break may change the whole complexity of the current log positions especially considering the points difference between 15th place and 1st place is only 16 points at the moment compared to last season where it was 24 points at the same stage.

SAFA will assess the situation after the lockdown and decide the way forward and hopefully, by then we would’ve flattened the curve and have a chance of returning to the sports field but also bearing in mind that there is also the real possibility that leagues may not resume.

#staysafe

Exciting restart on the cards!!

This weekend sees the continuation of the SAFA 3rd division after the end of year break and with 7 matches played so far, we take a brief look at the results of some of the teams.

It’s not unusual for newly promoted teams to do well in their first season in this league and this year Crystal Palace and Woodlands United are continuing the trend as they are placed in the top 3 at the end of 2019.

Palace are occupying top spot and recorded some good results especially beating Hanover Park 3-2 in November while Woodlands had a good run in the Nedbank Cup reaching the regional finals and finishing 2019 in the 3rd spot. Woodlands are facing an uphill battle for the rest of the season as they struggle to secure training grounds in Mitchells Plain and this leaves Coach Zarrie with a tough job to prepare for matches.

Silver Spurs are looking the business this year with target man Ameen Awaldien in fine form netting 6 goals so far. The technical team is now headed by Coach Russell Davids and the squad is a good blend of youth and experience which should see them make an attempt at the title depending if they can be consistent with their performances.

Hanover Park have had a mixed bag of results in their first 7 games but one would expect them to improve as the season continues and apply pressure on the top of the table. With Coach Franklin Davies at the helm, anything is possible as his positive motivation and guidance are essential for his troops every week.

Much was expected from Nova Nacional this season as the team realigned their focus on their goal to be in the PSL in the next few years and the expectation was valid with some key acquisitions in the technical team before the start of the season. Former Bafana Bafana left-back David Kannemeyer is heading the technical team after having brief coaching spells at The Magic (ABC Motsepe) and Cape Town All Stars (NFD). Kannemeyer still has plenty of time to improve his team’s results and has the resources to do so.

In what could be termed as a rebuilding stage for Greenwood, their start to the season is probably their worst since campaigning in the league about 3 years ago. Coach Fadiel Losper is at the helm this season and in charge of the rebuild which includes some younger players in the squad but still has the stability with the experience of players like Nathan Brown and Dean Williams.

Cape Town City is having a better start compared to last season as they also have a change in the technical team which is now headed by Coach Richard Lovell. City’s positive results have seen them end 2019 in the top half of the table and a few of the team’s performances have been a pleasure to watch as the young squad uses their pace and skill to their advantage against their opponents.

Scrolling down to the foot of the table is a surprise to many if last season was anything to go by as Matroosfontein, who were contenders last season, are now languishing at the bottom of the log. With only 1 win from 7 matches so far, Coach Patrick Wheels and his team will be eager to get this year going and start his team’s recovery and ensure their survival.

Another team finding it tougher than last year is Cape Town United who are yet to record a victory but only lost once and drew 5 matches in their 6 played so far. The Langa team will be looking at the next few weeks as a crucial part of their season if they want to avoid the relegation zone by midseason.

It’s still a long way to go and the situation can change for all 16 teams and with no one really dominating yet, it keeps the excitement going for spectators and hope alive for clinching the top spot. Check out this week’s fixtures and make sure to catch a game.

Regional 3RD Division 19/20

 

SAFA CT Youth Awarded

On Tuesday night 19th November, the SAFA Cape Town Youth Awards was held at the Mayoral Suite in the Civic Centre.

The evening was dedicated to acknowledging and recognizing the achievements by youth players on the field. Girls and boys from U15 and U17 teams were acknowledged for doing well in the regional and provincial teams.

To kick off the evening were two speakers, Leigh Brophy and Hans Vonk, who offered motivation to the youth players in attendance.

Leigh Brophy delivered a motivational talk at the event

Leigh Brophy is our U17 national goalkeeper who relayed her story and her continuing journey in football thus far. Her talk was inspiring to say the least and her delivery was on point. Her main advice to the youth was to maintain a balance between football, school, and God.
Leigh’s football journey started with a club called Roma FC in the Regional Womens League (RWL). In 2017 at the age of 15 she was scouted by UCT who she still currently plays for. The regional and provincial trials were quickly endured and she soon became part of the national setup.

    • Her dream to represent her country was always the goal and gradually extended to playing outside of the country. Leigh gives much credit to Coach Mark Kapman who inspired and motivated her to achieve all that she has while her role models since the start of her playing career have been her two older brothers who she still learns from. Brophy is speedily recovering from a knee injury while she is completing her Matric and looks forward to getting back into action to claim the No.1 jersey for the National side; we wish her all the luck for the rest of her football journey.

Hans Vonk, former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper and current Head of Youth at Ajax Cape Town delivered his short and direct message to all in attendance. Vonk stressed the importance of having a structured setup with quality coaches to drive the development of youth football.
He shared his football journey and how Foppe De Haan, the renowned Dutch coach, positively influenced youth football at the club.

Keynote speaker for the evening was Councillor Anthony Moses and he touched on various key points including the importance of sport in our communities. With mentioning the remembrance of those who have fallen during the season through either violent acts or injury on the field, he stressed the value of respect for one another when taking part in a contact sport.

The importance of planning and improving facilities was also raised and he informed the audience that is the priority of the city. The councillor also noted the enhancement of the relationship between the city and SAFA CT and the importance thereof for ensuring the development of youth in sport.

Big Winners

The highlight of the evening was the announcement of the Female and Male Youth Player of the year.

Female and Male Youth Player of the year

Tiyana Carollisen (female) and Toguer Claasen (male) were awarded the prestigious titles last night and we had a quick sit down with the two winners.

Carollisen was clearly shocked that she received the award but nevertheless felt it was deserved after all the sacrifices she together with her family had made in her football career.
Claasen was unable to hide his joy as he sat with the awarded trophy. The young Silver Spurs player was happy that he could assist his team by scoring goals when needed and is hoping for a bright future in the game.

For Tiyana her immediate focus is finishing her exams and then prepares for the playoffs with her club team, Vasco Da Gama and voices her encouragement to the youth to just keep trying until it happens for them.

Toguer shares her encouragement but also adds that youth get involved with clubs, keep training and play as much as they can.

 

Goalless draw in Paarl heat

The ABC Motsepe League in the Western Cape commenced with week 5 this past weekend and we took the trip to Mbekweni Sports Field in Paarl where Batalion FC played host to Grassy Park Utd.

The home side, now coached by Boebie Solomons, have recorded 2 wins before this encounter and boasts one of the better defensive records in the league only conceding 2 goals in their matches played. Solomons would’ve expected this record to be challenged as the visitors have netted 13 goals in their 4 matches played and it comes as no surprise as Grassy Park have assembled quite an experienced squad this year.

Coach Theo Hempe, back at GP after having been dismissed in the 2017/2018 season returns this season and heads a star-studded squad with the likes of Jerry Mxabo, Roysten Rhoda and Tshepiso Tlhapi who offer years of experience to the unit. Not forgetting the younger playmakers like Craig Joemath, Luke Vester and Fawaaz Bassadien.

Describing the weather as hot on Saturday in Paarl would be an understatement as the sun seemed to be stationary and with no accompanying wind to mention. The match however started at a high tempo with Batalion showing the ascendancy and forcing the away side to defend for the 1st quarter of the match.

The home side managed to place the ball in the GP net but celebrations were cut short as the far side assistant had his flag raised for an offside. Batalion were outnumbering their opponents in the midfield as GP’s Waseem George and Jerry Mxabo were positioned as twin strikers while Nazier Jacobs laid quite deep, leaving Luke Vester on his own to deal with the approaching Batalion playmakers.

The home side were efficient in their attack and owning more possession of the ball with Aphiwe Mkuzo and Siyabulela Mbenenge creating opportunities in front of goal. GP were guilty of a too slow build up from the back in the first 25 mins of the half and had to do quite a share of defending during that time.

The last 20 mins of the half was more balanced as GP got the ball to their front players quicker than before and either of their strikers got closer to the midfield causing them to create combinations and get the ball out wide where the crosses were delivered from.

Fawaaz Basadien from GP showed his class as he eased past defenders to create opportunities while his teammate Craig Joemath showed his attacking capabilities as he started a few attacks from his position at left-back.

Just before the halftime break Batalion’s Mbenenge saw his free-kick attempt, which was just inside the GP half, hit the crossbar and cleared by the opponent’s defence.

From the restart, it was evident that both coaches influenced the match by their tactical changes. For Solomons, his team started playing the quickest route to the front two who were applying pressure on the GP centre backs. The long pass was delivered behind the defence into space with the front strikers of Batalion running onto the end of the pass. They were unfortunately not able to capitalize as the defensive pair of Rhoda and Tlhapi stood firm and cut out any danger.

For Hempe, his team were now looking to use the width of the pitch and with the introduction of Thurlo Wood at wide left, caused many problems for the Batalion defence. Wood could consider himself unlucky not to earn his side a penalty as his turn of pace saw him fouled inside the penalty area but the man in the middle called it as no foul.

The rest of the half had action on both ends of the pitch but neither of them could make them count. The visitors were awarded a penalty late in the 2nd half when Yusuf Abrahams was adjudged to be brought down in the penalty area of Batalion. Basadien missed his attempt as he hit the crossbar with the goalkeeper diving in the opposite direction.

Batalion had the last attack but failed to convert and saw the match end in a goalless draw.

Our Engen KO Challenge 2019 Wrap Up

The Cape Town leg of the Engen Knockout Challenge (EKOC) 2019 took place from the 26th – 28th July 2019 and was hosted by Wanderers FC of the Langa LFA.

The EKOC is in its 17th year and the Wanderers FC and tournament LOC must be congratulated on hosting an efficient and well-organized event, extinguishing any pre-tournament concerns about the ability to do so.

Results at the end of day 1 were an early indication that the local football landscape is changing as the traditional LFA clubs were no pushovers to the more resourced academy teams.
Wynberg St Johns had a good tournament and was victorious in their first 2 matches against the more fancied Ulana Academy and Cape Town City sides.

The Maitland based FN Rangers also turned a few heads when they held Hellenic to a 1-1 draw and later Cape Umoya to a goalless draw. Against Cape Umoya, Rangers were brave enough to use their defenders to start their attack from the back with solid build-up play and both sides saw missed chances but the encounter was entertaining.

Hanover Park gave a good account of themselves reaching the semi-finals of the competition, eventually bowing out to Cape Town City via a penalty shootout. This was preceded by a win against Everton and a 2-2 draw with Stellenbosch FC on day 1.
A 3-1 win against Jomos Power from Atlantis booked their spot in the quarters where they defeated hosts, Wanderers 1-0 to advance to the semis.
The lanky Hanover Park midfielder Carl Keyster was the stand out player displaying his skills and work rate both in defence and attack.

As usual, many opinions and views are shared at tournaments and it was no different this time. The discussions on day 1 were dominated by the lack of football quality on display. The direct approach seemed to be the chosen tactics by the majority with teams trying to win the 2nd ball whilst others stuck to their style of play.

A confession by one of the coaches who took part in the tournament was that he chose to follow the “long ball” route in his first match but reverted to his team’s passing game in his following game where they won and the players had a more enjoyable experience.

Tournaments in Gauteng are often seen as a step up because they are slightly different to what we normally experience in Cape Town. The Gauteng tournaments often have more teams who enjoy passing the ball and keeping it on the deck.
Appropriate then that the Cape Town winner, Ubuntu, was one of the teams who displayed mostly attractive football and they will be representing the province at the national event.

There might be a difference of opinion with regards to the game plans of coaches but there was an agreement with the attendees that the quality of the players were noticeable. Each match had at least a player from either side who displayed their ability and skill level to impress spectators.

To sum it up, the EKOC 2019 was a success and what’s left to do now is wish Ubuntu Football Academy all the best for the Champs of Champs in Gauteng.

 

This is how the teams ended.
1. Ubuntu Football
2. Cape Town City
3. Stellenbosch FC
4. Hanover Park FC
5. Hellenic
6. Ajax Cape Town
7. Bayview FC
8. Wanderers FC
9. Cape Umoya
10. Everton
11. JL Zwane
12. Wynberg St Johns
13. FN Rangers
14. Ulana Academy
15. Santos
16. Jomos Power

 

Summer Round up – Part 2

The 2nd division had its own drama this season from sprinklers disturbing matches to lights failing or being switched off. The Magic were favoured for taking the league this season but after suffering their first loss to Morning Stars in game 7, it took them 4 matches to get back to winning ways and by that time Steenberg had already caught up.

The top 5 ended with all the big guns in the league like Zizwe United, Glendene United, Ikapa Sporting and of course The Magic who ended 2nd. One of the highlights for The Magic was reaching the last 16 in the Nedbank Cup where they lost to Kaizer Chiefs 3-0 after taking the PSL team to extra time.

Glendene revived their season after the return of Coach Bradley August from HBUFC while Ikapa Sporting, led by Coach Nasief Morris and assisted by Coach Theo Hempe finished off better than the previous year, from 12th to 5th.
Zizwe could only manage 10 wins during the 2018/19 season but this year they only suffered 3 losses, a major improvement.

Both teams which were relegated this year were franchises bought at the start of the season. Ocean View purchased the D&G Orient franchise while Mbekweni Cosmos bought the Ace FC franchise. One would assume that their plans didn’t work out or maybe the league was underestimated. It is clear though that there is a major disparity between teams when it comes to financial resources as the community-based teams continue to utilize the youth at their disposal while the financially sound continue to recycle players.

Picture cred: Rashied Isaacs

With both Steenberg Utd and The Magic out of the league, there are many teams who can list themselves as favourites next season. The likes of Glendene, Ikapa Sporting, and Zizwe are regularly probing for the top spot and next year might be their season but they would have to be wary of the newcomers like Ubuntu and newly promoted Young Pirates, not forgetting others who will seize the opportunity to assert themselves for the playoff spot.

Summer Round Up – Part 1

With both the SAFA 3rd division and 2nd division all done and dusted we take a look at what was what in the 2 local Cape Town respective leagues.

The 3rd division was probably the toughest it’s been for a long time with no specific team dominating the league. Young Pirates clinched the title with only 58 points which is a low tally compared to previous seasons where the same point total would get a team a 2nd place on the log.

A few teams were in and out of the top 5 but it was clear that Pirates and Matroosfontein were the pacesetters with Greenwood keeping in touch. Both Pirates and Matroos were newcomers to the league this season after winning promotion from the playoffs and together with Nova Nacional were part of a group of new teams who made their presence felt in their first season.

The participation of Cape Town City this season was a cause of curiosity as many were wondering about the team make up and asking if the PSL club would make an impact on the local 3rd division. A development tool for City, the team showed promise and excitement in the friendly matches preceding the season but unfortunately, the lack of experience seemed to be their Achilles heel.

This year proved to some that this league is not easily won and it takes more than just pitching up on a match day and expecting to win as teams with fewer resources can make an impact.

A total of 771 goals were scored in 480 matches for the season and many teams displayed some entertaining football. We also had a few comebacks like Kuilsriver who clawed their way up from the drop zone only to be relegated after DC ruling had 12 points deducted from them. Other teams like Goal 50, Cape Town City, Rebels, and Bluegum United managed to survive and were often in the relegation cauldron.

With Ubuntu FC being relegated from the NFD, the possible ripple effect for the 3rd division meant that more than the usual 2 teams could be relegated but fortunately both Steenberg United and Young Pirates won their respective playoffs, meaning that only 2 teams were dropped from the league.
Those 2 teams were Bayview FC, who are the current Coke Cup champs and Kuilsriver.

Engen KO Challenge – 2019

The Engen Knockout Challenge 2019 to unleash a new generation of stars

South Africa’s leading youth football tournament, the Engen Knockout Challenge is set to unleash a new generation of stars when the 2019 edition kicks-off on 21 June in Port Elizabeth.

Now in its 17th year, the Engen Knockout Challenge comprises five regional tournaments. These will be staged in June and July starting in Port Elizabeth, moving on to Durban, Bloemfontein and Johannesburg, before the final leg in Cape Town.

*The award-winning tournament has produced more than 190 players who have gone on to play the “Beautiful Game” at the highest level both nationally and internationally.

David Notoane’s under-23 squad to play Angola for a place at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, includes 18 players who competed in the Engen Knockout Challenge earlier in their careers.

Lyle Foster of South Africa challenged by Hadji Wali of Malawi during the 2019 African Cup Of Nations U20 Qualifier match between South Africa and Malawi at the Moruleng Stadium, Rustenburg on 15 July 2018 ©Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

EKOC Alumni include the likes of Lyle Foster (AC Monaco, France)‚ Tasreeq Matthews (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Phakamani Mahlambi (Mamelodi Sundowns), Leo Thethani (Ajax Amsterdam), Luther Singh (GD Chaves, Portugal), Teboho Mokoena and Kamohelo Mahlatsi (SuperSport United), Grant Magerman (Ajax Cape Town), Siyabonga Ngezana and Reeve Frosler (both Kaizer Chiefs).

The Engen Knockout Challenge has not only positively influenced the lives of many of the players. The tournament also nurtures future administrators, team managers, match officials, physios and many more.

“This is why the Engen Knockout Challenge is a tournament that is about More Than Football, and goes beyond the white lines of the football pitch,” comments Bulela Mkandawire, Engen’s Brand & Sponsorship Manager. “It is about giving the players a stage to showcase their talent and possibly change the course of their lives and of their loved ones, while also inspiring the people in the communities from which they come.”

As a company, Engen is committed to skills development. This is done in various ways, including: a bursary scheme, a graduate development programme, learnership and apprenticeship programmes, and a computer school in South Durban, which teaches local residents basic computer literacy. They also support maths and science education via the Engen Maths and Science Schools, which provide supplementary classes to learners in Grades 10-12 at nine centres across South Africa.

Action from the game between Ajax Cape Town (red) and Grassy Park United (blue) during day 2 of the 2016 Engen Knockout Challenge at Parow Park, Cape Town on the 16 July 2016 ©Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

The 2019 Engen Knockout Challenge welcomes two new host clubs, as well as a new logo and trophy.

The two new host clubs are Wanderers FC, who play their football under the banner of the Langa LFA in Cape Town, and Bloemfontein Celtic FC, a giant of the local football scene and a club that needs no introduction to football fans.

The other host clubs are Glenville Celtic FC (Port Elizabeth), Amazulu FC (Durban) and Wits AFC (Johannesburg).

“June and July will see fans across five different regions enjoy the best South African youth football, with the Engen Knockout Challenge continuing its proud tradition of unearthing the next generation of football stars,” adds Mkandawire.

Tournament Date:
Cape Town: Langa Sports Complex 26 – 28 July 2019

Final day – SAB League

This weekend sees the conclusion of the SAFA 3rd Division (SAB LEAGUE).
The past 2 weeks we’ve witnessed a turnaround and shift in log positions due to DC rulings which had not only points deducted but also added to affected clubs.

This has caused Young Pirates, who were leading the log, to drop to second as Matroosfontein benefited with the addition of points and now head the log with 1 game to go.

Effectively 3 clubs are in the running for the league on the final day. Matroosfontein lay in 1st place with 57 points while both Young Pirates and Hanover Park are 2 points adrift.

Hanover Park is probably the outside bet as they need to win their match against Greenwood and also depend on the top 2 to lose their matches. There are various scenarios which could result in any of the top 3 taking the title however, Matroosfontein holds their own destiny in their hands and if they win their final match against Cape Town City, they win the league.

The bottom half has just much tension as clubs play for their survival and with the drop of Ubuntu to the ABC Motsepe League having an effect on the lower leagues, it will be more than the standard 2 teams who will be relegated.

The number of teams who will be relegated will be confirmed after the 2nd division for NFD playoff and the 3rd division for ABC Motsepe playoff. If Steenberg United and the SAB League winner both get through the playoffs, fewer teams will be dropped from the SAB League.

Kuilsriver AFC who were the worst affected by the DC Rulings are bottom of the log and they will be relegated after Saturday’s match. The bottom sides all have tough encounters on Saturday and a few unexpected results are on the cards as clubs fight till the last day to secure their status.

What an exciting end to a crazy season where the log table was close through the year. Last season FN Rangers won the league with 70 points and the last team in that season finished with 18 points, compared to this season where the 60 point mark can win the league and the last team can end with 31 points. Proof of how tight it was this year.

DC ruling makes impact

DC outcomes which have been released this week might play a major role in deciding the champions and relegated teams in this year’s SAB League.

The teams who had deducted points from are, Kuilsriver (-12points), Greenwood (-6 points), Bellstar (-3 points) and those who are awarded points are Silver Spurs, Hanover Park, Two Oceans Academy, Bluegum, Matroosfontein, Bayview FC and Nova Nacional (all +3 points).

The major impact this ruling has caused includes placing Matroosfontein back to 1st spot with a 2 point lead over Young Pirates, who were the log leaders on Monday. Hanover Park are also better off sharing 2nd spot but with the same points as Pirates in the 3 horse race.

It has left Greenwood Athletic effectively out of contention as getting maximum points in their remaining matches won’t get them a better place on the table. The team from Retreat will feel hard done by and would’ve felt they had a chance to end top before the ruling as their remaining matches are against Young Pirates and Hanover Park, who were placed 1st and 3rd respectively.

One has to feel for Kuilsriver as their performances in the league does not warrant a last place on the log. After their slow start, the Kuilsriver team gathered good momentum to lift them safe up the log but the DC ruling causes them to lose 12 points and placed rock bottom with 2 games to go.

Nova Nacional benefits with receiving 3 points from a game they lost to Greenwood and might be what they need to lift themselves after a losing streak of 3 games. The team from Milnerton are now placed 10th and have to play Bluegum, Bellstar and Cape Town United before they end the season.

It remains to be seen if affected clubs will lodge an appeal and if they do, SAFCT will have to follow the necessary procedures in order to find a resolve.

https://the4thmoment.co.za/league-table/sab-league-18-19/