By Chris Totobela
Top Makhanda side Maru FC recently secured their first point in the ABC Motsepe League, playing to draw with Komani’s Amavarara FC away.
According to head coach, Siya Dumiso, Maru went to the game as underdogs. “We are new in this league and we are still learning, but playing as underdogs takes the pressure off our players.”
The best team in Makhanda in the past few years, Maru fought very hard to come back home with a point in the game as Jeromia Walters made history and scored Maru’s first-ever goal in the more elite league. Dumiso said that coming back with a point was an achievement in unfamiliar territory for his young squad.
Last weekend, Maru snatched a morale boosting victory against Old Grey FC in a Nedbank Cup encounter. Walters was on target again, and the hard-running goal poacher Vuyani Skeyi also scored to give the local side a deserved 2-1 victory.
Dumiso believes his side is on the right track. “We caught [Old Grey] by surprise. We saw how they play in the ABC Motsepe League play-offs and we also lost to them in the pre-season game, so we knew what to expect from them and we planned accordingly.”
Makhanda is blessed with great talent, and the Maru FC skipper is a true testament to this. Lisa “The rock” Makretsi was playing in the Makana LFA league not so long ago, but is now leading Maru FC in the ABC Motsepe League and the soft-spoken young defender is only in his second season with the Makhanda giants.
Dumiso thanked Makhandans for their love and support. “This is not just about us, this is a community project as the late founder of this team Jeff Budaza used to say, may his soul rest in peace. The whole Makhanda community needs to embrace it. These are your kids and they need your support.”
Dumiso appealed to the business fraternity to assist Maru FC as participating in the tough league comes with a lot of costs such as transport, accommodation and catering. Any playing equipment and uniform is also welcome as every little bit of help will make a world of difference, he pleaded.
