Schools Shootout semifinalists decided
Paballelo High School, Rietvale High School (both Northern Cape), Benny’s Sports Development and Academy (Limpopo) and Mohloli High School (Gauteng) progressed to the SA Schools Shootout semifinals after two days of exciting action at Benoni High School in Ekhuruleni.
In a packed day of fixtures which saw 36 goals scored, Mohloli (Gauteng) beat Mahlatsi (Mpumalanga) 3-1, Rietvale (Northern Cape) thrashed Leruntse Lesedi (North West) 5-0 - including the tournament’s first hat-trick from Clifton Pretorius - and Paballelo scored a last-gasp winner against Benny’s Sports Development and Academy to win 2-1. Rietvale then lost 3-1 to Mahlatsi and Mohloli beat Leruntse Lesedi 3-0.
The Gauteng Festival results were: CBC Mount Edmund 2-1 Jet Nteo; Benoni High 4-0 Jet Nteo and CBC Mount Edmund 0-10 School of Excellence, a mammoth scoreline which included 2 goals apiece for Mongale Lebone, Tshepo Mabua and Richard Moremi.
Mohloli came from a goal down to beat Mahlatsi 3-1 in the opening match of the day. Mahlatsi showed a vastly-improved passing game after relying on long balls in their defeat to Leruntse Lesedi yesterday – and it paid off after 10 minutes when Siboniso Sithole scored after a harmless cross caused a scramble in the box.
Mohloli couldn’t take the ball off Mahlatsi in midfield as Thabethe and Shongwe dominated possession. Out of nowhere, Mohloli drew level in the 20th minute when winger Zwelakhe Kunene drove a low cross into the box and Seun Kobeshe bravely slotted the ball beyond Thatho Sakoane. Mohloli scored again 4 minutes later after a gaffe from goalkeeper Phinda Dlamini. Midfielder William Papane hoofed the ball forward hopefully, Dlamini misread the bounce and the ball looped over his head and into the net.
Mpho Mutlanyane put the result beyond doubt in the 52nd minute after collecting a ball that dissected the Mahlatsi defence and bravely stayed on his feet to round Dlamini and finish coolly.
CBC Mount Edmund beat Jet Nteo 2-1 in a Gauteng Festival fixture, thanks to a brace from striker Viri da Silva. Jet Nteo opened the scoring in the 14th minute through Bokang Mathlaneng, but CBC responded almost immediately when da Silva collected a pass over the top of the defence from Michael Louw and clipped the ball over the keeper 2 minutes later.
CBC were peppering the Jet Nteo goal with shots from all ranges and it was only a matter of time before they collected a second. It duly arrived in the 27th minute when Joseph Maminze spotted da Silva unmarked at the far post and the diminutive number 10 finished calmly.
Paballelo scored in added time to beat Benny’s Sports Development and Academy 2-1 in a match contested mostly in midfield. Paballelo’s Sonwabo Nkebane – nicknamed ‘The General’ by his teammates – and Bennys’ Lesedi Kapinga ran the show for their respective sides in the centre of the park, with goalscoring opportunities at a premium.
Paballelo opened the scoring in the 16th minute when Andile Gqili capitalised on Bennys’ inability to clear from a corner. Benny’s equalized in the 20th minute after Pabellelo’s star goalkeeper Shaun Jansen pulled off a miracle save from a long-range shot, but couldn’t remove the ball from the danger area, allowing Mathodzi Maduvha to bundle the ball over the line. The match looked to be heading for a stalemate when Benny’s goalkeeper Gladwin Nghunyula went AWOL and Lennox April finished coolly from the edge of the area in the second minute of added time.
Mahlatsi beat Rietvale 3-1 with the Northern Cape side unable to conjure the magic which saw them put 5 goals past Leruntse Lesedi. Gift Shongwe opened the scoring for Mahlatsi when his wickedly-deflected shot left Romique Julius stranded. It was 2-0 soon after, when Wandile Mabuza blasted the ball past Julius from 30 yards. Dynamic Rietvale number 10 Angelo van Rooi pulled a goal back with a fantastic free kick in the 42nd minute, but Mahlatsi went straight back up the other end of the field to restore their 2-goal lead through Siboniso Sithole.
The Finals of the SA Schools Shootout take place on 30 & 31 March at Sacred Heart College in Observatory. The fixtures are:
30 March
Semi-Final 1 (Northern Cape Derby): Paballelo vs Rietvale (15:15, live on SuperSport 4)
Semi-Final 2: Mohloli vs Benny’s Sports Development and Academy (16:30, live on SuperSport 4).
31 March
2nd/3rd place playoff – 09:30, live on SuperSport 4
Final – 13:00, live on SuperSport 4
The Gauteng Festival fixtures which will take place over the two days are:
30 March
Voortrekkerhoogte vs Orlando – 14:00 (Live on SuperSport 4)
31 March
Meadowlands vs Orlando – 08:30
Voortrekkerhoogte vs Sacred Heart – 08:30
Sacred Heart vs Meadowlands – 11:00 (Live on SuperSport 4)
