By Chris Totobela
Scores of local football fans made their way to JD Dlepu Stadium this past weekend to witness a significant tournament. Makana Municipality hosted the King Ndlambe Football Tournament as part of the Battle of Egazini Memorial Project.
All Makana LFA teams and Hollywood Bets Regional League local sides participated in the event.
The tournament was played in a knockout format, and there were exciting encounters, but in the end, there were only two teams left to battle for the prize. The two in-form sides currently in Makhanda – Maru FC and XI Attackers – who recently locked horns in the Easter soccer tournament final, met each other again, in a space of few weeks, in the final on Sunday afternoon.
The game kicked off at 15:00 in a packed JD Dlepu stadium. Both teams started at a high pace, trying to force each other to make errors. Attackers had the first shot at goal, but it flew over the crossbar.
Maru settled much quicker into the game and started dictating things in midfield while creating clear goal-scoring chances. Aphiwe Payi of Maru had two clear chances to put his side in the lead with the wide-open goal, but he fumbled both chances. Maru’s aerial prowess proved vital as they punished the Attackers’ defence after they failed to deal with a cross from the right wing after the young goalminder of Attackers carelessly gave away possession.
He was made to pay by a well-taken Lindokuhle Mdoko’s header. The goalkeeper was at it again as he fumbled a shot from a freekick and conceded a corner kick. From the set piece, Mbongeni Mali headed home to double Maru’s lead, giving them a two-goal advantage going into halftime.
Immediately after the break, Maru put the final nail in the Attackers’ coffin as Vuyani Skeyi drew three defenders around him before backheeling the ball to an unmarked Lindokuhle Mdoko, who just directed the ball with his head into the back of the net to complete his brace. Attackers netted a consolation goal from a free kick via the boot of Bongani Hashe but it was too little too late.
Hard and dangerous tackles flew all over the field, and some went unpunished. The referee blew the final whistle and was confronted by an Attackers’ official. A fight broke out between the duo, but they were immediately separated.
Speaking to Grocott’s Mail after the match, the Attackers’ coach, Thanduxolo Faxi, apologised to the match referee. “We would like to apologise to the referee for this unfortunate incident. He handled the game very well, and I think their fight was not about the game itself.”
Ward 2 councillor Ramie Xonxa handed over prizes to the finalists and spoke to Grocott’s Mail immediately after the presentation. “This tournament is very important to the history of Makhanda. It commemorates the battle amaXhosa, amaNdlambe to be specific, which took place on 22 April 1819, and I think it is important for our young people to know about this event. It is the army of amaNdlambe that fought the British army in the Battle of Egazini, and that is why we decided to host this tournament in their honour.”
Xonxa added that the tournament would take place every year. “I would like to thank all the teams that participated in this event. I would also like to thank the Sarah Baartman Municipality for donating prize money and Makana Municipality for the trophy and medals.”
Maru walked away with the first cash prize, R5000 in cash, a trophy and gold medals, while XI Attackers went home with R2000 and silver medals.
