By Chris Totobela
The Ivy Madyo and Mafa Bavuma birthday tournament came to a conclusion on Sunday with Maru FC crowned champions after a close 1-0 victory over old rivals XI Attackers.
The game started at a blistering pace as was expected by the huge crowd that packed JD Dlepu Stadium. Both teams made their intentions very clear from the first whistle but were both guilty of squandering scoring chances. XI Attackers dominated the midfield battle but Maru kept their shape and composure.
Attackers thought they had taken the lead when they headed home from a set-piece, but the referee disallowed the goal due to a foul on the goalkeeper. The crossbar came to Maru’s rescue few minutes later, and soon after that their goalkeeper came up with a match-winning save – flicking the ball over the cross bar with his finger tips.
Maru absorbed the pressure and were rewarded when the referee pointed to the penalty spot after their player was fouled in the box. Luyolo “Pepesi” Matiwane slotted the ball home with a low hard shot that left the keeper with no chance.
Despite intense pressure from Attackers, who had come from behind to narrowly beat Rhodes University 3-2 in the semifinal, Maru held on until the final whistle and were crowned champions.
The Joza team had edged Sophia Stars on penalties after a 1-1 stalemate to reach the final.
Head coach Siya Dumiso was pleased with his charges. “My boys played well, in fact it was a good showing by both teams. Attackers came strongly at us but we did well to keep them at bay and we waited for the right moments to hurt them. I’m just disappointed with the state of the field which did not allow both teams to play their normal passing and attractive football.The state of that field is bad and would like to advise the municipality to try and change it to an Astro turf that will last for the next 30 years.”
Dumiso also commented on plans for the near future. “The focus now shifts to the league as we are still on the mission to win it and achieve our goal of playing in the ABC Motsepe League. We want to do it for Makhanda as we are blessed with a lot of talent here and we deserve to have a team in that league.”
XI Attackers’ assistant coach and physical trainer Lukhanyo Ngcungce shared his views on the final. “It was a good game of football and what the people came to see, but the penalty that was awarded against us was never a penalty and it is so sad that every time when we play against Maru, someone has to influence the game into their favour and I really don’t know what it would take for that to stop.
“Secondly, I think it was a very poor decision from the executive committee to appoint such a young boy to handle a game of that magnitude as everyone has seen how that boy froze on the field and he was so nervous because both sets of players were yelling at him, including officials from both camps. Lastly, whoever decided on those individual awards did not watch the same tournament that we were all watching. The tournament sponsor did not even sit and finish the game and it would have been nice to see him hand over the prizes after the game .”
This was a very good advert of local football with all the ingredients of a top local derby as two giants of local football collided.
