Wongalethu Maquthu 

Every team participating in the DUT Res & Inter-Campus Indoor Soccer Champions League wants that R7 000 cash prize, but for 10 more teams that hope has been buried.

Sphamandla Mofokeng, Sterling House 1 coach, said the probable reason for his team’s loss is because they were not used to having fans around.

“We had lockdown and as a result fans were not allowed.  In the knockout stage fans were allowed and that must have overwhelmed my players,” he said.

The only match that was decided in penalties (after a 2-2 draw) was Pearl Star 1 vs Orap 1 where Pearl Star 1 went on to win 4-3.  Coach Mthokozisi Mncube of Pearl Star 1 said the boys didn’t play as he had hoped and the reason for that is one of their players got injured early in the match so he had to make an unplanned substitution.

Hlelo Properties 1 coach, Yanga Mjoli, said even though they lost 3-1 to Penting Property 1, he is not that much disappointed in his boys.

“We worked very hard in the group stage, but we didn’t reach where we wanted to go [finals],” said Mjoli.

Persada 1 vs Blenheim Court was probably the highlight match of Day one in the two-day last 20 knockout stage.  Persada 1 beat its opponent for the day 6-4.  Nhlanhla Mbili, Persada 1 coach, says his team made some mistakes but they still played well.

“They became complacent after they were in the lead and that’s one of the reasons why the team started conceding goals.  I’m still happy and confident we will win the tournament,” Mbili said.

On day two, the first match saw Davenport 1 beat Student Village 1 by 6-3.  Ningi Basi, player, said the match was tough but she enjoyed it.

“It’s nice playing with the guys, I enjoy it more than I do with the girls,” she said.

The second game of the day saw Penting Property 2 hand Ritson Campus 2 a 2-0 loss.

Sterling House 2 took on Alpine 1 in the third game and even though Sterling House 2 conceded the first goal, the team still won the match by 3-1.  A very excited Mncedisi Ndlovu, Sterling House 2 coach, said they were hoping to win R10 000 (first place receives R7 000 and second place receives R3 500) but Sterling House 1 had been eliminated the previous day.

“The boys have an advantage because I work with AMAZULU FC and so I’m trying to groom them,” said Ndlovu.

Alpine 2 suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands (in this case the feet) of Carlo Court 1.  An apparently relieved Bongumuzi Ndlazi, Carlo Court coach, said the boys did as they were told.

“Every team that we were afraid of, we’ve managed to defeat.  I can assure that next week we will be the champions,” Ndlazi assured.

Mbili was not as lucky with Persada 2 as he was with Persada 1 the previous day as the team suffered a 3-1 loss against DUT Staff.

“This is football, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose,” he said.

This is how the updated fixture looks:

Picture: DUT