The growing significance of the Metropolitan Premier Cup as a major factor in South African football was further emphasised when National Under-20 interim coach Maqsood Chenia drafted six players participating in the 2010 event directly into his Amajita squad for the upcoming Four Nations tournament involving Brazil, Ghana and Nigeria that kicks off on Thursday at Newlands Stadium.
Chenia, attending the tournament for the first time, was suitably impressed with the talent on show and had no hesitation in inviting the youngsters to join his camp immediately. They are: Mbusi Manyoni, Damian Michel (Supersport), Yazeed Davids (Ajax Cape Town), Lerato Manzini (Harmony Academy), Eugene Molepo (Highlands Park) and Riaan Eugene (Santos).
Chenia said, “ It’s the first time I have seen these guys play and I was pleasantly surprised at the wealth of natural talent displayed on the pitch. This tournament provides a wide base from which to assess players eligible for Under-20 competition. The boys are well coached and have shown that they understand instructions in the way they go out and execute them.
“At national level, it’s not so much about coaching as managing personalities and fine-tuning the details. Issues of fitness and conditioning are the responsibility of their clubs because the tempo of international football is that much higher and a player needs to be fit when he reports for camp. These guys are in good shape.
“Metropolitan deserve great credit for playing a vital role in the development of football in South Africa creating a platform from which talent can be recognised and nurtured.
“I identified nine individuals that I wanted to select but had to reduce it to six due to space constraints. As for the rest, they must continue to knock on the door and a situation will arise - like this one - when it will open. What a time to give these boys an opportunity. Today they are representing their clubs, tomorrow their nation.”
Nkosinathi Chonco, Metropolitan Group Executive, added, “For many years the Metropolitan Premier Cup has been recognised as the breeding ground for soccer champions at development level. This year has seen the most tangible manifestation of that aspiration with the direct advancement of players from the tournament straight into the national set-up. It is a clear illustration of the rewards gleaned through hard work and dedication and serves as an inspiration to others who hope to follow in their footsteps.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Supersport Crowned Premier Cup Champions
Supersport Tottenham Hotspur Academy ensured that the Metropolitan Premier Cup remains in Tshwane for another year following their 3-1 victory over gallant local favourites, Baltic Rangers at Erica Park in Belhar on Monday afternoon.
The Gauteng-based side proved themselves worthy winners, exhibiting a combination of sound tactical discipline allied to a sense of positive determination throughout the competition.
Having survived an early scare in the final, they took the lead in the 28th minute when the tournament’s top scorer, Sheldon Stevens netted his 6th goal of the campaign with a composed finish. A lapse in concentration three minutes prior to half-time allowed Rangers to level matters through Farouk Paulse, but after the break, there was only one team that was going to win. With the strong breeze at their backs, Supersport added two further goals, courtesy of Damian Michell and Mpho Mareda, to end Rangers’ brave resistance as the shadows began to lengthen over the Cape Flats.
Supersport had qualified for the final in emphatic style earlier in the day, humbling Ajax Cape Town 6-1 in front of the flabbergasted home fans. The Urban Warriors failed to come to grips with Matsatsantsa’s superiority in virtually all departments and in the end had to concede defeat to the better team. Rangers had it a lot tougher in their semi-final, squandering a 3-1 lead late in their match against close rivals Vasco Da Gama, to finish 3-3 after extra time, but held their nerve to win the penalty shootout, 5-3. The victory, however, came at a cost, with both head coach, Brandon Truter and his assistant, plus two players, suspended for the final.
A disappointed but proud Truter said afterwards, “The suspensions really hurt us. We were unable to prepare the team properly and were missing two key team members, but that’s how it goes sometimes. Congratulations to Supersport, they had more left in the tank at the end of a very hard day. Two basic mistakes from set pieces cost us dearly, but I am very proud of my boys for getting all the way to the final. They deserve huge credit.”
Winning coach, Kwanele Kopo said, “It was not our best performance, but we got the result. It is very difficult to play two matches in one day and you could see heavy legs in both teams in the final. In situations like this, it’s the team that takes their chances that gets the glory and today, happily it was us. Overall, I’m delighted with the way things turned out.”
Metropolitan Group Executive: Group Empowerment & Corporate Affairs, Nkosinathi Chonco said, “The high standard of the competition and the sporting spirit in which it was played is a fitting way to celebrate 22 years of the Premier Cup. Metropolitan is proud of its association and contribution as chief sponsor to this important event on the football calendar. It was heart-warming to feel the community atmosphere that make this such a unique spectacle, and it ties in perfectly with Metropolitan’s commitment to youth football development and community upliftment.”
The following of awards were presented at the conclusion of proceedings:
Referee of the Tournament: Emanuel De Sani
Top Goal Scorer: Sheldon Stevens (Supersport) 6 Goals
Goalkeeper of the Tournament: Sherwyn Naiker (Supersport)
Manager of the Tournament: Maziwakhe Zephonia (Supersport)
Team of the Tournament: Baltic Rangers
Player of the Tournament: Mbuso Manyoni (Supersport)
First hat-trick: Heath Hellenberg (Vasco Da Gama)
Fastest Goal: Yusuf Ackers (Baltic Rangers)
Most Promising Amateur Team: Young Idols
The Gauteng-based side proved themselves worthy winners, exhibiting a combination of sound tactical discipline allied to a sense of positive determination throughout the competition.
Having survived an early scare in the final, they took the lead in the 28th minute when the tournament’s top scorer, Sheldon Stevens netted his 6th goal of the campaign with a composed finish. A lapse in concentration three minutes prior to half-time allowed Rangers to level matters through Farouk Paulse, but after the break, there was only one team that was going to win. With the strong breeze at their backs, Supersport added two further goals, courtesy of Damian Michell and Mpho Mareda, to end Rangers’ brave resistance as the shadows began to lengthen over the Cape Flats.
Supersport had qualified for the final in emphatic style earlier in the day, humbling Ajax Cape Town 6-1 in front of the flabbergasted home fans. The Urban Warriors failed to come to grips with Matsatsantsa’s superiority in virtually all departments and in the end had to concede defeat to the better team. Rangers had it a lot tougher in their semi-final, squandering a 3-1 lead late in their match against close rivals Vasco Da Gama, to finish 3-3 after extra time, but held their nerve to win the penalty shootout, 5-3. The victory, however, came at a cost, with both head coach, Brandon Truter and his assistant, plus two players, suspended for the final.
A disappointed but proud Truter said afterwards, “The suspensions really hurt us. We were unable to prepare the team properly and were missing two key team members, but that’s how it goes sometimes. Congratulations to Supersport, they had more left in the tank at the end of a very hard day. Two basic mistakes from set pieces cost us dearly, but I am very proud of my boys for getting all the way to the final. They deserve huge credit.”
Winning coach, Kwanele Kopo said, “It was not our best performance, but we got the result. It is very difficult to play two matches in one day and you could see heavy legs in both teams in the final. In situations like this, it’s the team that takes their chances that gets the glory and today, happily it was us. Overall, I’m delighted with the way things turned out.”
Metropolitan Group Executive: Group Empowerment & Corporate Affairs, Nkosinathi Chonco said, “The high standard of the competition and the sporting spirit in which it was played is a fitting way to celebrate 22 years of the Premier Cup. Metropolitan is proud of its association and contribution as chief sponsor to this important event on the football calendar. It was heart-warming to feel the community atmosphere that make this such a unique spectacle, and it ties in perfectly with Metropolitan’s commitment to youth football development and community upliftment.”
The following of awards were presented at the conclusion of proceedings:
Referee of the Tournament: Emanuel De Sani
Top Goal Scorer: Sheldon Stevens (Supersport) 6 Goals
Goalkeeper of the Tournament: Sherwyn Naiker (Supersport)
Manager of the Tournament: Maziwakhe Zephonia (Supersport)
Team of the Tournament: Baltic Rangers
Player of the Tournament: Mbuso Manyoni (Supersport)
First hat-trick: Heath Hellenberg (Vasco Da Gama)
Fastest Goal: Yusuf Ackers (Baltic Rangers)
Most Promising Amateur Team: Young Idols
Cape Town Teams Power to Semi Finals
Ajax Cape Town will meet Supersport United in a potentially titanic encounter for a place in Monday’s final of the 2010 Metropolitan Premier Cup at Erica Park in Belhar, after the pair successfully negotiated their way through their respective quarter-finals on Sunday. The Urban Warriors fought back from a goal down to oust plucky Ikapa Sporting, 3-1, while Matsatsantsa’s superior tactical awareness and discipline earned them a 2-1 win over their Tshwane rivals and defending champions, Mamelodi Sundowns. The Western Cape province is guaranteed at least one finalist from the other semi-final which will be contested between Vasco da Gama - who overcame Cape United, 3-1 – and Baltic Rangers, who caused a major upset by eliminating Kaizer Chiefs, 1-0 to reach the last four.
A first-half penalty by Ikapa midfielder Branko Phelekwa sparked Ajax into action and they drew level before the break through an Archford Gutu spot-kick. Ajax’s second-half pressure eventually bore fruit, with Masibonge Kondela netting a brace to kill off Ikapa’s stern resistance.
Supersport, meanwhile, established control of their tense derby against Sundowns virtually from the opening whistle, denying the Brazilians space in which to play, and making the most of their attacking opportunities. Following a goalless first period, Sheldon Stevens converted a penalty shortly after the restart and added a second with a clinical finish 10 minutes from full-time to secure a well-deserved win over their fierce rivals.
Baltic Rangers produced the shock of the round, proving too strong on the day against Soweto giants, Kaizer Chiefs. A first-half goal from Shaheed Abrahams was enough to settle the tie, 1-0, to send Rangers into an all-Cape Town semi-final against Vasco Da Gama. Vasco also had to come from behind to book their berth in the final four, after Devon Saal gave the Academy team an early lead. However, second-half strikes from Nathan Gertze, Simbongile Nvamende and Matthew Johannsen were enough to put Vasco comfortably through.
The sizeable crowd that braced the blustery conditions were treated to a music performance on the A Field by popular local act, Rapture, before the Plate and Mid-Section semi-finals were decided.
Orlando Pirates and Moroka Swallows both needed penalty shootouts to qualify for the Plate final. Swallows came out 4-3 winners against Young Buffaloes of Swaziland, following a goalless draw, and Pirates went through 5-4 after drawing 1-1 with Mr. Price Parkhurst.
Cape United and Kaizer Chiefs made it through to the Mid-Section final after narrow wins against Mamelodi Sundowns and Ikapa Sporting respectively.
Ajax will face Supersport on Erica Park’s B Field at 9:00am, with Baltic Rangers taking on Vasco Da Gama on the C Field at the same time.
The Plate final begins at 11:30am followed by the Mid-Section final at 12:45pm, both on A Field.
The grand final kicks off on A Field at 3:30pm.
RESULTS
Saturday 3 April
Winners’ Section - Last 16
Mamelodi Sundowns 2-0 Free State Stars
Cape United 3-0 Milano United
Baltic Rangers 3-0 Belhar Spurs
Ajax Cape Town 2-0 Players’ Academy
Supersport United 2-0 Salt River Blackpool
Ikapa Sporting 0-0 Santos (Ikapa Sporting win 6-5 on penalties)
Highlands Park 0-1 Vasco Da Gama
Harmony Academy 0-0 Kaizer Chiefs (Kaizer Chiefs win 5-3 on penalties)
Sunday 4 April
Winners’ Section - Quarterfinals
Mamelodi Sundowns 1-2 Supersport United
Vasco Da Gama 3-1 Cape United
Ikapa Sporting 1-3 Ajax Cape Town
Baltic Rangers 1-0 Kaizer Chiefs
Plate Semifinals
Moroka Swallows 0-0 Young Buffaloes (Moroka swallows win 4-3 on penalties)
Mr. Price Parkhurst 1 Orlando Pirates 1 (Orlando Pirates win 5-4 on penalties)
Mid-Section Semifinals
Mamelodi Sundowns 0 Cape United 1
Ikapa Sporting 1 Kaizer Chiefs 2
A first-half penalty by Ikapa midfielder Branko Phelekwa sparked Ajax into action and they drew level before the break through an Archford Gutu spot-kick. Ajax’s second-half pressure eventually bore fruit, with Masibonge Kondela netting a brace to kill off Ikapa’s stern resistance.
Supersport, meanwhile, established control of their tense derby against Sundowns virtually from the opening whistle, denying the Brazilians space in which to play, and making the most of their attacking opportunities. Following a goalless first period, Sheldon Stevens converted a penalty shortly after the restart and added a second with a clinical finish 10 minutes from full-time to secure a well-deserved win over their fierce rivals.
Baltic Rangers produced the shock of the round, proving too strong on the day against Soweto giants, Kaizer Chiefs. A first-half goal from Shaheed Abrahams was enough to settle the tie, 1-0, to send Rangers into an all-Cape Town semi-final against Vasco Da Gama. Vasco also had to come from behind to book their berth in the final four, after Devon Saal gave the Academy team an early lead. However, second-half strikes from Nathan Gertze, Simbongile Nvamende and Matthew Johannsen were enough to put Vasco comfortably through.
The sizeable crowd that braced the blustery conditions were treated to a music performance on the A Field by popular local act, Rapture, before the Plate and Mid-Section semi-finals were decided.
Orlando Pirates and Moroka Swallows both needed penalty shootouts to qualify for the Plate final. Swallows came out 4-3 winners against Young Buffaloes of Swaziland, following a goalless draw, and Pirates went through 5-4 after drawing 1-1 with Mr. Price Parkhurst.
Cape United and Kaizer Chiefs made it through to the Mid-Section final after narrow wins against Mamelodi Sundowns and Ikapa Sporting respectively.
Ajax will face Supersport on Erica Park’s B Field at 9:00am, with Baltic Rangers taking on Vasco Da Gama on the C Field at the same time.
The Plate final begins at 11:30am followed by the Mid-Section final at 12:45pm, both on A Field.
The grand final kicks off on A Field at 3:30pm.
RESULTS
Saturday 3 April
Winners’ Section - Last 16
Mamelodi Sundowns 2-0 Free State Stars
Cape United 3-0 Milano United
Baltic Rangers 3-0 Belhar Spurs
Ajax Cape Town 2-0 Players’ Academy
Supersport United 2-0 Salt River Blackpool
Ikapa Sporting 0-0 Santos (Ikapa Sporting win 6-5 on penalties)
Highlands Park 0-1 Vasco Da Gama
Harmony Academy 0-0 Kaizer Chiefs (Kaizer Chiefs win 5-3 on penalties)
Sunday 4 April
Winners’ Section - Quarterfinals
Mamelodi Sundowns 1-2 Supersport United
Vasco Da Gama 3-1 Cape United
Ikapa Sporting 1-3 Ajax Cape Town
Baltic Rangers 1-0 Kaizer Chiefs
Plate Semifinals
Moroka Swallows 0-0 Young Buffaloes (Moroka swallows win 4-3 on penalties)
Mr. Price Parkhurst 1 Orlando Pirates 1 (Orlando Pirates win 5-4 on penalties)
Mid-Section Semifinals
Mamelodi Sundowns 0 Cape United 1
Ikapa Sporting 1 Kaizer Chiefs 2
Friday, April 2, 2010
Fireworks lit up the night sky
Fireworks lit up the night sky in a blaze of colour as the 2010 edition of the Metropolitan Premier Cup was officially opened on a perfect Good Friday evening at Erica Park in Belhar. The large crowd was treated to a performance by a troupe of dancers accompanied by a band of drummers before each if the 32 competing teams participated in a march-past on the main field.
President of SAFA, Cape Town, Norman Arendse said, “SAFA is delighted to support this event. It is the most successful football tournament in the entire country at any level. Much credit must go to Metropolitan and Bayhill United for setting a standard of seamless organisation that serves as a template for others to follow. Every club wants to play at the Premier Cup so it is guaranteed that only the best teams are on show, drawing scouts from all the top teams in the country, as well as Africa and Europe. It’s certainly the place to be at Easter.”
On the field of play, Supersport United emerged as 1-0 winners in their eagerly awaited clash against Kaizer Chiefs to top the Group E standings. Mamelodi Sundowns kept their defence of the trophy on track with a competent 2-0 Group A victory over Player’s Academy in the evening’s main fixture.
Crowd favourites, Ajax Cape Town found themselves on the wrong end of an upset, losing 2-1 to Free State Stars in a thrilling Group D encounter, although the Urban Warriors are still expected to progress beyond the round robin phase. They could be joined by Old Mutual Academy, who eased past Swazi side, Manzini Sundowns, 3-0.
In Group B, hosts Bayhill United failed to make the most of home ground advantage, going down 2-0 to the University of Pretoria, ending their hopes of qualifying for the second round.
Group C action saw Glenville Celtic get the better of their namesakes Bloemfontein Celtic, 1-0, leaving the Free State outfit on the verge of elimination.
Moroka Swallows came from behind to shock the School of Excellence 2-1 to throw Group F wide open. Much will depend on the final round of matches before the qualifiers are decided.
Highlands Park overcame Santos by a single goal, while Battswood and Harmony Academy played out a goalless draw, leaving Group G up for grabs.
Finally, the other guest team from Swaziland, Young Buffaloes earned their first points of the campaign, drawing 1-1 against Orlando Pirates in Group H.
Saturday’s full programme starts at 9:00am with the completion of the group stage. The round of 16 knockout phase gets under way at 3:30pm with the final match of the day kicking off at 8:00pm.
President of SAFA, Cape Town, Norman Arendse said, “SAFA is delighted to support this event. It is the most successful football tournament in the entire country at any level. Much credit must go to Metropolitan and Bayhill United for setting a standard of seamless organisation that serves as a template for others to follow. Every club wants to play at the Premier Cup so it is guaranteed that only the best teams are on show, drawing scouts from all the top teams in the country, as well as Africa and Europe. It’s certainly the place to be at Easter.”
On the field of play, Supersport United emerged as 1-0 winners in their eagerly awaited clash against Kaizer Chiefs to top the Group E standings. Mamelodi Sundowns kept their defence of the trophy on track with a competent 2-0 Group A victory over Player’s Academy in the evening’s main fixture.
In Group B, hosts Bayhill United failed to make the most of home ground advantage, going down 2-0 to the University of Pretoria, ending their hopes of qualifying for the second round.
Group C action saw Glenville Celtic get the better of their namesakes Bloemfontein Celtic, 1-0, leaving the Free State outfit on the verge of elimination.
Moroka Swallows came from behind to shock the School of Excellence 2-1 to throw Group F wide open. Much will depend on the final round of matches before the qualifiers are decided.
Highlands Park overcame Santos by a single goal, while Battswood and Harmony Academy played out a goalless draw, leaving Group G up for grabs.
Finally, the other guest team from Swaziland, Young Buffaloes earned their first points of the campaign, drawing 1-1 against Orlando Pirates in Group H.
Saturday’s full programme starts at 9:00am with the completion of the group stage. The round of 16 knockout phase gets under way at 3:30pm with the final match of the day kicking off at 8:00pm.
Big Names make Big Waves on Second Day
Earlier on, in Group A, Mamelodi Sundowns opened their defence of the title with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Young Idols, while Player’s Academy and Holy Cross played to a 1-1 draw.
In Group B, Cape United proved too strong for University of Pretoria, moving to the top of the table following their 3-1 win. Belhar Spurs joined them on four points after seeing off Bayhill United 2-0.
Milano United recovered from an opening day defeat to edge Bloemfontein Celtic by a single goal in Group C. Baltic Rangers maintained their 100 per cent record with a 1-0 victory over Glenville Celtic.
Ajax Cape Town’s main rivals in Group D, Free State Stars and Old Mutual Academy failed to trouble the scorers, having cancelled each other out in a goalless encounter.
Supersport United got their Group E campaign off to a winning start with a 2-1 win over Mr. Price Parkhurst, who lost for the second successive time, effectively eliminating them from contention for the trophy. Matsatsantsa and Amakhosi look a good bet to progress to the knockout stage.
Group F was thrown wide open when Ikapa Sporting, having lost on Wednesday to Vasco Da Gama, beat Moroka Swallows 1-0, while Vasco were beaten 3-1 by the School of Excellence.
Santos, buoyed on by the local support, came out on top against the other invited team from Swaziland, Young Buffaloes, winning 1-0 in Group G, while Highlands Park and Battswood couldn’t muster a goal between them, settling for a 0-0 scoreline at the final whistle.
Finally, Salt River Blackpool moved to the top of Group H, following their 1-1 draw with Harmony Academy, putting them in a good position to make it through to the next round.
On Wednesday evening, the players from the various clubs attended Metropolitan’s compulsory Life-Skills symposium in which CSI specialist, Renee Sabor delivered an interactive seminar dealing with some of the crucial challenges that face young people in today’s world, including HIV/AIDS prevention, self-awareness and financial responsibility to one’s community.
On Friday afternoon, the action commences at 3:15pm with a mouth-watering clash between Chiefs and Supersport, and at around 7:00pm, the official opening ceremony will take place.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Vasco Da Gama Shines on first day of the 2010 Metropolitan Premier Cup
Earlier, it was a day of come-from-behind victories, with Baltic Rangers rallying from a goal down to beat Milano United 2-1, while City Lovers went one better, overcoming a two-goal deficit to come out 3-2 winners over Mr. Price Parkhurst. Salt River Blackpool also fell behind before hitting their straps to defeat Riverside Rangers 2-1. In the only goalless encounter of the opening day, Belhar Spurs and Cape United shared a point apiece.
Metropolitan Group Brand Manager, Christabell Kota, said, “The early signs suggest that we are in for a thrilling tournament. Metropolitan takes great pride in our association with the Premier Cup, which now extends into its 21st year. Our policy of commitment to grassroots football development at community level has reaped great rewards and has seen the Premier Cup grow from relatively humble beginnings into South Africa’s flagship Under-19 championship. For the opening day, the public turnout is most encouraging, creating a suitable atmosphere for the young stars to showcase their talent.”
On Thursday, 16 matches will be contested, the first kicking off at 12:30pm, when defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns face Young Idols and running through to 8:00pm, when Ajax Cape Town take on Swazi visitors Manzini Sundowns.
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