Kwa-Thema – Soccer lovers filled the Kwa-Thema Stadium grandstands to capacity when they gathered for the finals of the fifth Nomdayi Easter Games on Monday.
In the juniors’ competition, Sanders United U11 went head-to-head with Real Barcelona in an energetic game. Both teams fought hard not to concede any goals, leading to a goalless but action-packed first half.
Real Barcelona dominated the second half and eventually scored their first goal. They missed another opportunity after a good build-up to the goalpost.
But they eventually achieved their second goal, the last nail in the coffin to bury United. Although the Sanders United players were disappointed to collect silver medals, coach Zolile Maseko said he was proud of their performance.
“The boys were promising from the first game of the tournament. Even when their performance was shaky, they still managed to reach this point, which is a testament to their character.
Both teams start defensively, but the Highlanders get closer to the goal post.
“I understand why they are sad – they had their hearts set on the gold medal. Losing this gold will be part of a greater lesson for them,” he explained.
Maseko said the team needs to work on finishing because they had opportunities they failed to turn into goals. In the seniors’ final, the 17 Masters took on the Springs Highlanders in a fast-paced game.
Both teams started strong defensively, even though the Highlanders had more time close to the goalpost. The first half ended with no goals.
Even though the Masters came into the second half with renewed zeal, Highlanders ensured their goalkeeper remained unchallenged.
Players also started showing fatigue after both teams played their semis earlier that day. But the show had to go on.
The Real Barcelona U11s win gold.
Jersey number nine for the Highlanders, Bayede ‘Mageba’ Zulu, finally found the back of the net after a few tries. Although the Masters tried to fight back, Zulu found the back of the net again.
The Highlanders walked away with the R100 000 cash prize, with 17 Masters taking R50 000. On December 17, the Masters lost in the semifinals of the Nomdayi Festive Games, which led many fans to celebrate their improvement to second position.
“I want every player who thinks he has missed the opportunity to be a professional to take this chance. I want these tournaments to be a platform for them to showcase their talents. And in these five years, I believe we have accomplished that,” explained Nomdayi chairperson Nhlanhla Msomi.
Msomi said that developing talent did not happen only on the field.
“Some people have been hiding administrative skills we never knew existed. Even commentators are being unearthed,” he said.
Msomi added that he was watching his dream unfold and hoped other business people and companies would contribute to developing local players.
Real Barcelona dominates the second half and scores their first goal.
ALSO CHECK: Local nurse talks chickenpox: symptoms, risks and prevention
ALSO CHECK: Embrace the twists and turns of your learning journey: Becoming a pharmacist
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here.