Sakulutsha Soccer development project enjoyed a fine upset over New Year’s Cup winners, Makana Rhini United (Maru), in their South African Football Association SAB Regional League match on Saturday, winning 3-2.
Sakulutsha Soccer development project enjoyed a fine upset over New Year’s Cup winners, Makana Rhini United (Maru), in their South African Football Association SAB Regional League match on Saturday, winning 3-2.
The game took place at Fiddlers Green and each side had their fair share of supporters. The goal scorers for Sakulutsha were 16 year-old Andile Bacela, Bongani Hashe and Tsepo Mthwana and for Maru, Masixolo Solomon and Libona Nondlwana.
This is Sakulutsha’s first win in the regional league, to go with a draw and two losses. Maru have played three games, losing two and winning one. The win has seen Sakhulutsha jump from last (of nine) to 7th on the log. Maru have dropped to eighth.
Siyabonga Masinda, development manager at Sakulutsha said: “It was our day, not Marus”. Masinda said as a side, they respect Maru as opponents and New Year’s Cup champions. He however, believes they had the better match plan, “which we practiced and we applied from the start of the match.”
Masinda said that while Sakulutsha are still young, with most of the players just 17 years old, the coaching staff are not putting pressure on the team. Now that they are off the bottom of the log, they will try their best to keep their position, Masinda said. The team at the bottom of the standings by season's end faces automatic relegation.
Maru coach, Bongani Lombo was happy with his team’s performance. “My team played very well," he said, "however it was not our day because we missed lots of chances.”
Meanwhile, Golden Chiefs from Alexandria are still log leaders, after they enjoyed a 2-1 win against United Eleven over the weekend. The top-placed Grahamstown team is City Pirates who beat Leeds United 4-2 to move up one spot to second. Makana Pillars, also of Grahamstown, are fourth, after a 2-2 draw with Manchester United in Alexandria on Saturday.
This weekend sees another derby game, this time between Makana Pillars and City Pirates. The game will be played at JD Dlepu Stadium at 3pm. Sakhulutsha will host United Eleven at JD Dlepu at 1pm.
See all fixtures in Hi-Q Sports Diary on the Back Page.
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