The second day of the SAFA/Burger King u19 Men’s Championship produced 18 goals to add to the 18 from the first day.

The second day of the SAFA/Burger King u19 Men’s Championship produced 18 goals to add to the 18 from the first day.

The ChampionsThe second day of the SAFA/Burger King u19 Men’s Championship produced 18 goals to add to the 18 from the first day.hip is taking place at the William Herbert Sports Complex in Wynberg, Cape Town.

The biggest winners in the six matches on Day 2 were Northern Cape who demolished North West 5-1 – with Fabian van Zyl grabbing a hatrick in the 36th, 51st and 52nd minutes, while the other goals came from Gustav Simon (33rd) and Tshepo Kakora in referee’s optional time (70+1).

Van Zyl’s three goals in a match are the second of the tournament following Cape Town City’s Duncan Adoni’s hatrick on the first day.

Adoni is now the top goalscorer with four goals after he was on the scoresheet in their 1-1 draw against Mpumalanga, whose goal came from Lwandile Mabuya.

Sibabakwe Selanto of Western Cape scored a brace (69th and 70+1) against Limpopo in their 4-1 victory with Bonga Dladla (37th) and Linamandla Mcilizeli (51st) getting on the scoresheet, while Maboke Mashapu grabbed Limpopo’s solitary goal.

Ironically, Limpopo fired the first salvo in the 14th minute before the floodgates opened. They played with 10 men in the last eight minutes of the match after Kwena Molokomme was given his marching orders following a second yellow card.

Ajax Cape Town brushed aside Eastern Cape 2-0 to register their second win in as many matches, with both goals coming from Tashreeq Matthews.

There were no goals in the clash between KwaZulu Natal and Santos.

As matter stand, the Cape invitational side is leading Group A with four points, followed by Western Cape on three and KwaZulu Natal and Limpopo with two and one respectively.

In Group B, Gauteng and Ajax are neck and neck on six points each, but Gauteng is top of the table due to a better goal difference. Both Free State and Eastern Cape are yet to register points.

The battle for top spot is also hotting up in Group C where Cape Town City and Mpumalanga are on four points apiece, but the coastal team has a better goal difference. Northern Cape is just one point behind while North West has lost both their two matches.

After 12 matches played, a total of 36 goals have been scored.

But the games have not been clean with a high number of yellow cards dished out – 44, and two red cards.

Limpopo has collected the most yellow cards, seven in total as well as one red card.

The other side that has received a red card is Northern Cape.

The last group stage clashes will be played on Thursday, 15 December, and the matches will be played simultaneously. Group A will kickoff at 11h45, followed by Group B at 13h45 with Group C closing the day at 15h45.

Only the three top-placed teams will qualify for the semi-finals and will be joined by the best second placed side.

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 0-0 Field A
Eastern Cape vs Ajax Cape Town 0-2 Field B
Mpumalanga vs Cape Town City 1-1 Field I
Limpopo vs Western Cape 1-4 Field A
Gauteng vs Free State 3-0 Field B
Northern Cape vs North West 5-1 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