Mpumalanga Black Aces coach Kenny Ndlazi, who will lead his side to the Nedbank Cup final on Saturday at the Johannesburg Stadium, has at least one attribute nobody can take away. He is the only South African coach to occupy the bench when a South African national team beat their Brazilian counterparts.
Fate has dealt a cruel hand to Mamelodi Sundowns’ budding right back, Papi Mungomeni. The 23-year-old, who has become a regular in the Brazilians’ starting line-up this season, will miss playing in Saturday’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) showpiece, the Nedbank Cup final against First Division Mpumalanga Black Aces at the Johannesburg Stadium.
Mamelodi Sundowns had their minds on Saturday’s Nedbank Cup final and paid the price when Free State Stars thumped the defending Premier Soccer League champions 4-0 in the final league fixture of the season. Meanwhile, Santos ended in third position on the league table after beating Platinum Stars 1-0, and Orlando Pirates beat AmaZulu 4-1.
Jomo Cosmos will play in the National First Division next season after losing 2-0 to fellow relegation candidates Black Leopards in their penultimate Absa Premiership game at the Oppenheimer Stadium in Orkney on Wednesday. A goal by Myron Shongwe in the 18th minute and a strike on the stroke of half-time by Thabiso Hlalele sealed the fate of the luckless Cosmos.
Ajax Cape Town’s brave 2-0 win over Orlando Pirates at the Athlone Stadium saw them reclaim their position at the top of the Absa Premiership standings. There was action from the outset as Ajax started the game at a cracking pace, with Nhlanhla Shabalala and Nathan Paulse bringing out saves from Bucs keeper Senzo Meyiwa within the opening six minutes.
SuperSport United remained on top of the Premier Soccer League table after a hard-fought 1-0 win against Orlando Pirates at the Johannesburg Stadium on Saturday night. Elias Pelembe scored in the second minute to keep United in the hunt for a first league title. They now have 47 points from 25 games.
A pedestrian Bafana Bafana outfit needed an own goal to beat Zimbabwe 2-1 in a friendly international match at the Germiston Stadium on Tuesday evening. Gilbert Mushangazhike struck first for the visitors in the 12th minute. Sthembiso Ngcobo equalised in the 73rd minute and his feeble shot at goal deflected off James Matola late in extra time to give the hosts an unforeseen victory.
Orlando Pirates were held to a deflating 0-0 draw by bottom Premier Soccer League club Black Leopards after the heavens opened up at Johannesburg Stadium shortly before the kick-off on Saturday night. An uninspiring display against a team who had lost their last six games has left the Buccaneers seven points behind log leaders Ajax Cape Town.
Even after parting ways with coach Khabo Zondo after a string of poor results, Bloemfontein Celtic’s ambitions of improving their position on the log suffered a blow. With caretaker coaches Benjamin Reed and David Modise at the helm, Celtic lost 1-0 to the title-chasing Orlando Pirates on Wednesday afternoon.
Locked together with 31 points each, Orlando Pirates and Golden Arrows were inseparable in an evenly-matched, engrossing 0-0 Absa Premiership draw at Johannesburg Stadium on Saturday night. Whoever said a goalless game cannot be entertaining could not have witnessed the clash between two teams who both look worthy of Top Eight finishes in the log.
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/ 26 February 2008
Premier Soccer League log leaders Ajax Cape Town and the ever-improving Santos will face Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates respectively in the last-32 round of the inaugural Nedbank Cup. The draw involving the Soweto clubs attracted loud applause from the crowd and there was also a huge roar of approval for the R6-million first prize.
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/ 25 February 2008
Mamelodi Sundowns announced on Sunday night that coach Gordon Igesund and the club will be parting ways. Recently appointed media and communications manager Mahlatse Mphahlele announced ”the club and coach will be parting company on an amicable basis with immediate effect”.
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/ 24 February 2008
Bloemfontein Celtic beat Amazulu 3-2 in a Premier Soccer League (PSL) match at a packed Seisa Ramabodu Stadium in Bloemfontein on Sunday. In other matches, Mamelodi Sundowns handed victory to Wits University, Orlando Pirates were beaten by Santos, and Ajax beat Cosmos.
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/ 14 February 2008
Ajax Cape Town maintained their position at the top of the Premier Soccer League standings with a well-deserved 3-1 win over Bloemfontein Celtic at the Athlone Stadium on Wednesday night. The opening minutes of the game were scrappy as neither team were able to stamp their authority on the match.
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/ 3 February 2008
South Africa’s national Under-23 soccer team beat their Danish counterparts 2-0 at a packed Caledonian Stadium in Pretoria on Saturday. A much-improved performance by Steve Komphela’s side saw the hosts comfortably win the second game of this two-match international friendly series.
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/ 23 December 2007
AmaZulu beat Orlando Pirates 1-0 in a drab Absa Premiership encounter at the packed Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban on Sunday. AmaZulu striker Dumisani Ngwenya scored the only goal of the game to send his team into the top half of the table.
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/ 2 December 2007
In coach Owen da Gama’s first game in charge for Orlando Pirates, they lost to Thanda Royal Zulu in a cup game. Da Gama’s charges showed their improvement since his arrival by beating the Royals 3-1 in a Premier Soccer League game at Johannesburg Stadium on Sunday.
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/ 30 November 2007
This time last year Muhsin Ertugral was calm and affable. He was clocking success after success with Ajax Cape Town, whose players he called his chickens — mostly because of their youth. It was around this time that he was preparing for the Telkom Cup final, the first of two finals to which he led his chickens last season.
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/ 24 November 2007
The sultry Durban weather did not deter Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs from entertaining a capacity crowd with four fantastic goals in a pulsating Premier Soccer League match at the Absa Stadium on Saturday. Chiefs striker Mabhudi Khanyeza scored one of the quickest goals, in 17 seconds, to be seen in South Africa.
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/ 24 November 2007
With South Africa set to stage the qualifying draw for the 2010 World Cup, Fifa president Sepp Blatter is claiming a personal victory. ”I am very happy to be here in Durban, South Africa — [in] my continent,” he said. The Fifa leader claims credit for making sure Africa finally gets to host soccer’s biggest championship.
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/ 21 November 2007
Teko Modise netted twice to give Bafana Bafana a 2-0 win in an international friendly against Canada at the Absa Stadium in Durban on Tuesday. The Orlando Pirates playmaker netted a splendid goal from 20m in the 39th minute and got his second on the stroke of halftime with a well-taken penalty.
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/ 12 November 2007
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Gordon Igesund faces arguably the toughest test of all Premier Soccer League (PSL) coaches as he guides his team towards a third consecutive league title as well as a third cup final this year. ”The better the team becomes, the more challenges you face and have to accept,” Igesund said on Monday.
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/ 8 November 2007
Lucky Lekgwathi scored a controversial goal three minutes before the end of a drab Absa Premier League match to give Orlando Pirates a 1-0 victory against Jomo Cosmos at Loftus on Wednesday. The defender looked offside as Excellent Walaza slipped the ball to him in the big box.
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/ 6 November 2007
Jomo Cosmos and Orlando Pirates clash in round eight of the Absa Premier Soccer League at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Wednesday night, and Owen da Gama wants his charges to take all three points. Pirates are 11th on the league table with nine points from seven outings, and Da Gama wants the best result against Cosmos.
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/ 4 November 2007
The emerging Orlando Pirates lost 2-1 to Mamelodi Sundowns at a packed Loftus Stadium in an Absa Premier League game played on Sunday. Esrom Nyandoro scored first for the two-time league champs in the 37th minute and then Lucas Thwala netted the equaliser four minutes later.
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/ 1 November 2007
It might not have been the kind of ”Hand of God” goal that Diego Maradona immortalised, but battling Premier Soccer League champions Mamelodi Sundowns secured a much-needed 1-0 victory over Bloemfontein Celtic at the Free State Rugby Stadium on Wednesday night with what could be termed ”a gift from the gods”.
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/ 26 October 2007
Oom Os du Randt — the Springbok loosehead prop — is one of the most experienced sports stars in the country. At the ripe old age of 35 and with two World Cup winners’ medals around his neck, he has a lot to pass on to younger players, especially those who do not know how to handle success and end up in self-destruct mode.
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/ 16 October 2007
Despite having a battalion of 43 players at his disposal, Orlando Pirates coach Owen da Gama faces a dilemma as his team prepare for a Premier Soccer League game against Bloemfontein Celtic on Friday night. Pirates captain Lehlohonolo Seema, Lebohang Mokoena, Kelebogile Mabe and Bheki Khumalo could miss Friday’s clash.
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/ 28 September 2007
In the 1980s an unknown midfielder-cum-striker, Owen da Gama, came off the bench for Moroka Swallows to score in a 2-1 victory in the Soweto derby against Orlando Pirates. Little did he know then that he would one day be the Bucs’ head coach.
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/ 23 September 2007
Golden Arrows beat Orlando Pirates 2-1 in a Premier Soccer League (PSL) clash at the Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban on Saturday. There was no score at half-time. Amazulu registered their second win of the PSL season when they beat Black Leopards 2-1 in scorching heat at Giyani Stadium, Thohoyandou.
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/ 20 September 2007
Orlando Pirates travel to Durban for their Premier Soccer League (PSL) clash with Golden Arrows this weekend, while SuperSport United host Bidvest Wits in another big match. Pirates, fresh from their first home victory, travel to Chatsworth to face an Arrows side who will not easily succumb.
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/ 20 September 2007
Providing an encore performance after their success in the Supa8 Final against Orlando Pirates on Saturday, Mamelodi Sundowns left Wits University singing the blues while securing a 3-1 Premier League victory at a vibrant, pulsating Bidvest Stadium on Wednesday night.