The 2nd edition of the SAFA/Burger King u19 Men’s Championship is already underway in Cape Town.

The 2nd edition of the SAFA/Burger King u19 Men’s Championship is already underway in Cape Town.

Six matches were played on Tuesday, 13 December with the invitational sides all registering wins in the opening games.

The week-long tournament is taking place at the William Herbert Sports Complex in Wynberg, Cape Town.

Cape Town City were the biggest winners and even scored the competition’s fastest goal so far.

They defeated North West 4-1, with Duncan Adonis hitting the back of the net three times to register the tournament’st first hatrick. He scored the second (penalty) and third in the 25th and 66th minutes respectively, while Asonele Ndilele put the final nail in the coffin with the fourth one in the 69th minute.

North West got their consolation goal in the 57th minute through Mothusi Simphitlhetse.

Two second half goals were enough for Santos as they emerged victorious over Western Cape.

Bradwin Martin scored both goals in the 61st and 65th minutes.

The going was a little bit tough for Ajax Cape Town as they struggled to a 1-0 win against Free State with Kiyaam Bull hitting the back of the net shortly after the restart (48th minute).

In other matches played later in the day Mpumalanga defeated Northern Cape 3-1, Gauteng had the better of Eastern Cape 3-1 while there was a 1-1 stalemate between KwaZulu Natal and Limpopo.

Mpumalanga scored first in the 10th minute through Prince Shabangu but Lwandile Mabuya cancelled the lead four minutes later.

The Cape side was reduced to ten men in the 41st minute when Waydelio Links got his second-yellow card of the match.

The sending off seemed to give Mpumalanga a boost as they restored their lead just after the break. Mbaziza scored from the penalty spot and grabbed his second – and Mpumalanga’s third – in the 66th minute.

Gauteng took a three nil lead with goals in the 12th, 20th and 53rd minutes before taking their foot off the pedal to allow Eastern their solitary goal in referee’s optional time through Keegan Assam from the penalty spot.

Likhanyile Ndlendle scored the opening goal before Molahlehi Khunyedi followed up with a brace for Gauteng.
Solomon Rasiluma of Limpopo gave his side the lead just six minutes before halftime, but they could not protect the lead as KwaZulu Natal’s Siyabonga Khumalo pounced in the 70th minute for a share of the spoils.

The tournament runs until 18 December 2016 with the final scheduled for the Phillipi Stadium.

Group A Group B Group C
Santos Ajax Cape Town Cape Town City
KwaZulu Natal Eastern Cape Mpumalanga
Western Cape Free State North West
Limpopo Gauteng Northern Cape

FIXTURES/RESULTS:
DAY 2 – TUESDAY, 13 DECEMBER
Santos vs Western Cape 2-0 Field A
Ajax Cape Town vs Free State 1-0 Field B
Cape Town City vs North West 4-1 Field I
KZN vs Limpopo 1-1 Field A
Eastern Cape vs Gauteng 1-3 Field B
Mpumalanga vs Northern Cape 3-1 Field I
DAY 3 – WEDNESDAY, 14 DECEMBER
KZN vs Santos 13h30 Field A
Eastern Cape vs Ajax Cape Town 13h30 Field B
Mpumalanga vs Cape Town City 13h30 Field I
Limpopo vs Western Cape 15h00 Field A
Gauteng vs Free State 15h00 Field B
Northern Cape vs North West 15h00 Field I
DAY 4 – THURSDAY, 15 DECEMBER
Western Cape vs Santos 11h45 Field A
Limpopo vs KZN 11h45 Field B
Free State vs Ajax Cape Town 13h45 Field B
Gauteng vs Eastern Cape 13h45 Field I
North West vs Cape Town City 15h45 Field I
Northern Cape vs Mpumalanga 15h45 Field A
There will be a draw after the group stage matches to ensure that the best 2nd placed team does not play the winner of the same group – so two bowls, 1 with the teams from the same group and 1 with the winners of the other 2 groups
DAY 5 – FRIDAY, 16 DECEMBER – KNOCKOUT STAGE
SEMI-FINAL 1
Winner Group (after draw) vs Best 2nd placed (but not from the winner group) 15h00
SEMI-FINAL 2
Winner Group (after draw) vs Winner Group (draw) 15h00
DAY 6 – SATURDAY, 17 DECEMBER
REST DAY
DAY 7 – SUNDAY, 18 DECEMBER: PHILLIPI STADIUM
3rd/4th Place Play Off
FINAL 15H00

Background to the Williaim Herbert Sports Ground:

  • It is named in honour of long-serving secretary, president and ground manager William “Hasie” Herbert – named by the then Western Province Football Association Board back in 1963
  • Known as Mr Soccer to his friends, Herbert dedicated his life to sport as a player and administrator
  • He served the Cape District FA a record 42 years – 28 as chairman and 14 as secretary
  • In fact, the Cape District FA was born in his home in 1929 and he was elected secretary in that inaugural meeting
  • The iconic William Herbert Sports Ground is also steeped in history
  • The venue is more than just a soccer field, but a place for all sport loving people
  • It was originally know as Princeton sports ground, the District’s headquarters until it was renamed in 1963
  • In May, 1967, Cape District Football Association bought Hartleyvale’s old floodlights and introduced floodlit soccer at the District
  • In April 1970, 8 500 fans packed the grounds to watch Cape Town Spurs play Maritzburg City
  • Some well known players honed their skills at the ground – former Bafana Bafana players Benni McCarthy, Roger Links, Gerald Stober and Mark Williams, as well as former Banyana Banyana players Desiree Ellis (former captain and current interim head coach), Joanne Solomon and Astrid February

Source: Cape District Football Association 50th anniversary souvenir programme as well as newspaper articles from late football writer Lennie Kleintjies