30 July 2024
Glenwood displayed outstanding fighting spirit, a never-say-die attitude and worked hard as a team to capture the Primo Big 10 title at Hilton College on the weekend. The Green Machine had a tough path to the final, but they answered all of the questions posed to them.
They had previously made the final on two occasions. Given a third shot at the title, they made it count.
For more YouTube highlights of the Primo Big 10, visit the Pinnacle Schools YouTube Channel.
In their very first outing in Group B, they had to take on the defending champions, Maritzburg College. It didn’t start well for the Durban school, who went behind early on. Glenwood, however, clawed their way back into the contest and eventually pulled out a 2-1 win.
That victory set them up nicely for a run at the top spot in the group. However, Clifton College tripped them up in their next outing, with Andile Ngubane stealing in for the only goal of the game.
With the top two in each of the three groups guaranteed a place in the quarterfinals, and the two best third-placed teams to join them, Glenwood’s place in the last eight was uncertain ahead of their last pool outing, which was, in fact, a cross-pool clash with Durban High School (DHS).
Coach Khaya Ngwengwe‘s charges rose to the occasion, shutting down DHS’s talented attackers to score a 2-0 victory. Meanwhile, College, after a 3-1 win over Clifton, beat St Charles 2-0 to finish top of the group on goal difference from the Green Machine. Clifton, as the second best third-place finisher, joined them in the quarterfinals.
The hosts, Hilton College, claimed top sport in Group A, edging out DHS on goal difference.
School beat Hilton 1-0 and repeated that result against Saints, but Hilton, after a 3-2 win over St Charles, posted a 2-1 win over Clifton in a cross-pool clash. The Horseflies, meanwhile, went down to Glenwood.
Group C featured four teams – Westville, Northwood, Michaelhouse and Kearsney. The Griffin shone in their pool games, playing some exciting football, which earned them victories over their three group opponents: 2-1 vs Michaelhouse, and 2-0 vs Northwood and Kearsney.
‘House had a tough time against Westville, but they played with an edge, and it brought them successive 1-0 victories over Northwood and Kearsney. The Knights, meanwhile, put it all together when they faced Kearsney, and a 5-0 victory boosted them to third and made them the best of the third-placed finishers on goal difference.
Those results set up a fantastic quarterfinal between Westville and Maritzburg College, bringing together the only team that had won all of its matches on the opening day and the champions. Meanwhile, Hilton would face Michaelhouse. Enough said.
Then, Glenwood had secured a date with Northwood, and DHS faced Clifton in the last of the quarters. Kearsney and St Charles would play for ninth and tenth.
On Sunday, the latter two shared a goalless draw and, with matches running a little late, they settled for that result, rather than going to the penalty spot.
Glenwood, though, were taken to a shootout by Northwood, who, once again, forced the Green Machine to come from behind after Owami Maduna curled a magnificent shot into the far corner to put the Knights into the lead.
Showing BMT, however, Glenwood triumphed 5-4 from the spot after having levelled at 1-1.
Westville were on the board first against College through Bayanda Dlamini, but a defensive error allowed the defending champs back into the contest, with Mazithi Qasha equalising, and Nzolo Ngcemu then won it for the Red, Black and White with a headed goal.
In the Hilton versus Michaelhouse clash, a special, sizzling strike from Jason Brufau from long-range settled the contest in favour of the Balgowan boys.
DHS played most of their quarterfinal match against Clifton in Clifton’s half, and they were rewarded with a 2-0 victory.
They, then, faced Michaelhouse for a place in the final. There, the teams finished regulation time all square at 1-1. When the match went to the spot, good goalkeeping and one or two off-the-target shots decided it 3-2 in the Horseflies’ favour.
The other semi-final had brought Glenwood and Maritzburg College together again and the same storyline repeated itself. College scored first, but Glenwood fought back to net two in response, and they advanced to the title-decider.
It was a somewhat testy match. There were tired legs on display and that, coupled with the players’ desperation to win, led to some untidy tackling. In the second half, after one particularly rough clash, the referee went to his cards, showing a yellow to the Glenwood player and a red to the DHS man.
Still, School continued to take the attack to Glenwood. That, however, suited Glenwood well. Their game is predicated on a strong defence. They try to force teams into mistakes and then hit them on the counter. It was what their coach Khaya Ngwengwe preached to his team, and it was what won them the title.
In the second half, after turning over possession deep in their territory, they hit DHS with a swift counterattack. Ukwazi Dludla finished with aplomb from wide on the right and that goal proved to be the difference in the contest. The man of the match award, however, went to Sibonelo Phewa.
Dludla finished as the joint top goal scorer in the event alongside his team-mate Alakhe Mdluli, Mazithi Qasha (Maritzburg College), and Tino Hove (Hilton College).
RESULTS
9th/10th
Kearsney College 0-0 St Charles College
Quarter finals
DHS 2-0 Clifton
Glenwood (5) 1-1 (4) Northwood
Westville 1-2 Maritzburg College
Hilton College 0-1 Michaelhouse
Semi finals
DHS (3) 1-1 (2) Michaelhouse
Maritzburg College 1-2 Glenwood
Final
DHS 0-1 Glenwood
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