By Chris Totobela On Sunday, football lovers made their way to JD Dlepu Stadium to witness a rare Hollywood Bets Regional L eague Sunday game between two local sides. Maru hosted Young Eagles in a very exciting encounter that was filled with flair. The game started at a blistering pace, with both teams showing their intentions as early as the first minute. Eagles tested Maru’s goalkeeper from the kickoff, all the way from the halfway line, but it was a routine catch for him. Maru combined with some neat passes and went on to score in the second minute of…
Author: Chris Totobela
By Chris Totobela Makhanda’s very own champion, Bongani “King Killer” Fule, flew Makhanda’s flag very high in the recent boxing tournament held in Kariega. The Extension 6 resident and former Kutliso Daniels student exchanged leather with Mossel Bay’s Masixole Ntunga in a featherweight bout over six rounds. The former Junior lightweight Eastern Cape champion knocked out Ntunga, who was making his professional debut in the first round. Fule’s next move will be to challenge for the Eastern Cape title in his new division and become the first boxer in Makhanda to win two titles in two different divisions, and this…
By Chris Totobela On Saturday, the Rhodes University women’s football team hosted Nav Galaxy from Eziphunzana in East London in their Sasol League clash. Galaxy came to this encounter at the back of a loss as they tasted their first defeat last weekend at home against Volcano ladies when they lost by 2-4. On the other side, Rhodes University came to this encounter after four defeats, including last weekend’s walkover against Gqeberha-based Bay Stars. Less than twenty people made their way to the Great Field to witness this clash. The game started slowly but gained momentum as it continued, and…
NguChris Totobela Iqela lebhola ekhatywayo lamagqiyazana, ekuphela kwalo apha eMakhanda, libila lisoma limaxhaphetshu lilungiselela itumente yamanina ezakubanjwa ngosuku lokubhiyozela ulutsha (27 kuTshazimpuzi). Eli qela, iAfrican Connection WFC, nelalifudula lingudlezinye kule ngingqi yeSarah Baartman, lakhiwa okutsha ngabadlali abaselula kakhulu kwaye lincediswa liziko lokulolonga abadlali elikwizinga eliphezulu kule ngingqi. Oyena mdlali omdala kweli qela uneminyaka elishumi elinesixhenxe kuphela, kwaye oko kubonakalisa ikamva eliqaqambileyo leli qela. UOwam Dyonashe, ongomnye wabadlali abaphambili kweli qela, uncome indima sele yenziwe leli ziko. “Iqela lethu linabadlali abancinci kakhulu kwaye sonke sizimisele ukuthatha eli qela silibeke phezulu logama nathi sizenzela igama.” “Okwangoku eyona njongo iphambili yethu kukuba sifunde…
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…
By Chris Totobela The Makana LFA Premier League games continued with some surprises and casualties this past weekend. On Saturday, the whipping boys of Makhanda football, Juventus FC, surprised everyone when they destroyed Golden Brothers by five unanswered goals. XI Attackers, fresh from the Superbowl soccer tournament’s disappointment, narrowly defeated Maru Academy 3-2. On Sunday, African Spears shocked Seven Stars 4-1, while title contenders, Sophia Stars, eased past Love and Peace 6-1 in an exciting game. Hellenic and Maru academies shared the spoils in their scrappy encounter, resulting in one goal apiece. In the last game of the day, XI…
By Chris Totobela A decent crowd made its way to JD Dlepu Stadium on Saturday to witness a relegation battle between two local sides. City Pirates and Jacaranda Aces locked horns in a six-pointer of the Hollywood Bets regional league and both teams are fighting to avoid the drop to the LFA. The game started with both teams playing cautiously, not committing too much. Abachathazi had the better of the early exchanges, using their wing play very effectively, forcing Pirates to defend deep into their half but failed to convert their chances. Pirates absorbed a lot of pressure and tried…
By Chris Totobela Alicedale was abuzz during the Easter weekend as teams from as far as Mqanduli, Kariega, Gqeberha, Addo, Paterson and Riebeck East participated in the Alicedale Big Soccer Bash Easter tournament. All 18 teams arrived, and the event went on as planned, to the delight of the organisers and football lovers. The tournament started on Good Friday with a round-robin phase and finished on Easter Monday with the final. The huge crowd that turned out at the venues were rewarded with a good brand of football displayed by the various teams. Addo-based United Brothers defeated Alicedale-based Ayeza Amanzi…
By Chris Totobela A handful of local football fans braved the wet and chilly weather last Sunday and made their way to JD Dlepu Stadium. On show was the Makana LFA Premier division Stream B encounter between title contenders Sophia Stars and Rhodes University. The game was delayed for about 20 minutes as the two opposing benches were at loggerheads, arguing about the legitimacy of some players in the starting line-ups. Sophia Stars came to the game with a copy of the registered Rhodes University players, alleging that three of them were not properly registered. They demanded proof of registration,…
By Chris Totobela Football lovers in Makhanda had a great Easter weekend for the first time in many years, thanks to the Superbowl Easter soccer tournament. This event kicked off with a draw at the JD Dlepu stadium, where only the local teams were present. It emerged from the draw that XI Attackers would open the tournament against United Eleven from Bathurst, who later confirmed that they knew nothing about the fixture and were on their way to take part in a different elsewhere. Attackers were awarded a walkover and marched on to the quarter-finals. On Good Friday Sophia Stars…