16 July 2023
What a difference two days can make! Thrashed 0-6 by TuksSport High in their opening game at the 2023 Kearsney Soccer Tournament, DHS performed the improbable and the spectacular to defeat the same opposition from the penalty spot in Sunday’s final to become the event’s inaugural champions.
In a very hard-fought title-decider, DHS went behind early in the second half to a clinically taken strike by TuksSport’s Phomello Mkhondo. It appeared as if the silverware would be headed to Pretoria.
DHS, though, kept on scrapping, giving it their all. Then, in the last minute, with almost the last kick of regulation time, Callan Smith found an equaliser when he beat the offside trap. That sent the contest to the penalty spot.
Rising to the occasion
With three confidently and superbly taken kicks, DHS claimed the honours. Their captain, goalkeeper Ayden Quinn, pulled off a stunning save from TuksSport’s impressive left winger, Nthako Finger, to secure his team the title. Quinn stood out for the Horseflies, directing his side’s defence well from the back and pulling off a number of crucial saves before the shoot-out.
For Tuks, defender Ahmad Karim was a standout performer, as he was throughout the tournament. His defence was assured and the range of his accurate passing superb.
Kearsney College began the action on Stott Field against Maqhutshana Secondary in the playoff for fifth and sixth places. From the first whistle, though, the home side was put back onto their heels by the slick passing and movement of Maqhutshana.
The team in yellow moved the ball with precision and pace, keeping most of their passes short. They were rewarded with a two-goal lead after 16 minutes, with Sanele Sithole striking the first from range and the second, also from distance, from a free kick.
It looked as if the Botha’s Hill boys might be overrun, but they’re a quality side and well marshalled by captain and central defender Asanda Nyawose. They clawed their way back into the contest and Bonga Mapanga, only in grade 9, pulled one back for Kearsney from close range to make it 2-1 to Maqhutshana at the break.
In the second half, Nyawose and his team pushed hard for the equaliser. Maqhutshana bent, but they didn’t break and when the final whistle sounded it was still 2-1 in their favour.
Rematch
Clifton, meanwhile, took on Lebone II College for 9th and 10th. Earlier, in pool play, they had defeated the school from the North West 1-0. On Sunday, though, they faced a far different challenge from Lebone II.
Much like Maqhutshana, Lebone II produced an entertaining short passing performance. At the same time, they also showed a willingness to run at the opposition and that caused Clifton a number of headaches.
Lebone II’s positive approach was rewarded in the eighth minute, and it took Keaton Murray and his team until early in the second half to equalise. Striker Adrian Dippenaar, a goalkeeper in the SA under-17 hockey squad, slotted clinically to draw his side level.
Lebone II, however, weren’t phased. From the kick off, Tshepo Molotsi was set free down Clifton’s left flank. He charged in on goal and finished calmly to restore his team’s one goal advantage.
With 10 minutes remaining, Clifton were on the attack and had forced a corner. Cristiano Teixiera sent in the cross. Lebone II defended it amid appeals from Clifton for a handball. Lebone II cleared and a sharp counter-attack was on.
Thatego Lefyedi brilliantly controlled the ball to slip by a defender and then picked out a flying Botshelo Mpane to his right. Mpane didn’t spurn the chance, he finished with precision and Lebone II were 3-1 up. That’s how it finished and the boys from the North West were good value for their victory.
In other matches, Urban Academy, beaten 8-7 on penalties by TuksSport on Saturday for a place in the final, finished third after a 2-1 win over Paul Roos Gimnasium. Port Shepstone High showed their slow first day was not who they are by defeating Siyajabula 1-0 to win the Plate final, and Curro Grantleigh scored the only goal of the game to beat Ashton Ballito 1-0 and claim 11th position.
Tournament aims achieved
Finally, some thoughts on the inaugural Kearsney Soccer Tournament: as an exercise in growing the game, it was a monumental success, bringing together an eclectic collection of schools who would otherwise not get to experience the challenges teams from other parts of KwaZulu-Natal and other provinces provide.
It created opportunities for new rewarding relationships between schools which operate in very different environments by bypassing many of the traditional relationships which, too often, remain set in stone, thus preventing this cross-pollination from taking place.
The Kearsney Soccer Tournament also offered up opportunities not only to high school boys, but also high school girls and primary school boys, for a competitive but fun event, played in a beautiful setting. It was pleasing to see large numbers of spectators watching alongside the fields, taking advantage of KwaZulu-Natal’s moderate winter conditions to share in a very successful event.
Well done to Kearsney College on the initiative it undertook to host the tournament, and to the school’s staff for ensuring it was a resounding success. The event will surely prove itself to be a popular addition to the KZN soccer scene.
RESULTS
1st and 2nd: DHS 1-1 (3-2) TuksSport High
3rd and 4th: Urban Academy 2-1 Paul Roos Gimnasium
5th and 6th: Maqhutshana 2-1 Kearsney College
7th and 8th: Port Shepstone High 1-0 Siyajabula
9th and 10th: Lebone II College 3-1 Clifton College
11th and 12th: Curro Grantleigh 1-0 Ashton Ballito
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