Nobody expected the underdogs in the Eastern Cape premier cup soccer tournament to make it to the finals. Not even their own team.
Nobody expected the underdogs in the Eastern Cape premier cup soccer tournament to make it to the finals. Not even their own team.
So when they came off second best overall in the competition among the top teams representing districts of the Eastern Cape, it was still a victory.
Makana Local Football Association's (LFA) U19 squad represented the Cacadu region in the clashes going down at Dan Qeqe stadium in Port Elizabeth from 4 to 7 December.
"We were the underdogs," said player Sibulele Funze. He said they lost in the final because some of their players were given red and yellow cards.
"So by the time we became a collective we lost some of the players and had to start over. We were panicking because we didn't go there with the full squad," Funze said.
Playing under "proper conditions" and all the experience he gained during the tournament has inspired him to push himself as far as he can go, however.
"It was very encouraging – especially the wins we had," Funze said. "We really did not expect to go as far as the finals because the other regions are very good and more experienced than us."
Captain Siphesihle Notulo said they lost focus towards the end, but he was still glad to have been able to lead the team
"I am grateful for the opportunity I was given to captain the team in the tournament," he said.
"The coaches played an important role in keeping us well-focused – we must have lost it at the end because we were tired, but we were pushing hard because we wanted the cup.
"We also knew it was going to be difficult for us to win against Nelson Mandela Metropolitan because they had beaten us in the point system and we went on to face them in the finals," Notulo said.
"We probably lost confidence in the finals because we'd faced them and they beat us," the captain added. "We watched them playing against other regions and their football is so professional. Their style of play is outstanding."
Notulo also feels the Makana squad didn't do their best because not all of their top players could make it to the tournament.
"Communication was key to the game and… the squad that went there was not a team but a bunch of players who do not know each other very well," he said. "Other players were committed to the LFA matches of the their local teams."
The Makana team first played against Joe Gqabi region and won 4-1.
They lost their second match to Nelson Mandela Metro 5-1.
They then faced Buffalo City in the semis and won 1-0, while Nelson Mandela Metro beat Chris Hani 4-1 to face the Makana U19s again in the final.
Nelson Mandela Metro won 2-0.
Coach Lewi Ntlanjeni said the team would need to work together more to build a strong side in the name of Makana and Cacadu.
"We need to sacrifice and add extra effort in assuring that we are a respected region," he said.
Although it isn't ideal that some LFA fixtures got in the way of Makana sending their usual squad to the premier cup, Ntlanjeni that's the price that have to pay to be good.
Cacadu Team Manager Zamuxolo Nesi was very happy about his team's performance, especially since many players dropped out at the last minute to go to initiation school, he said.
"I was very surprised to reach the finals. I have no words," Nesi said.
To do better next time Cacadu needs "fields and facilities available and equipment, also strong support from teams," he added.
Organiser of Team Cacadu, Akhona Heshu, said he's very happy with the outcome because it was challenging to get the players there in the first place.
Various trips and LFA matches caused some players to drop out a day before the competition, he said, and he'd had to find replacements from other local teams.
"As much as our squad was not a full squad, we managed to play well and keep going until the finals," said player Anele Limba.
"As much as we wanted to come back with the title, it was our first time and there it shows how far we can go if we make proper preparations next time," he said.
