By Joshua Hendricks
Cape Town is (still) in love with football and that was very clear in the massive animated crowd that turned up for the U18 final of the 2022 Coke Cup, which saw Cape Town City triumph 3-1 over longtime rivals Ubuntu Football.
“I didn’t expect such a high-scoring game, because we had chances and they had chances too – both teams could have scored more,” Cape Town City Coach Neven Payne told CapeAt6Sport journalist Joshua Hendricks.
Two first half goals scored by Cee-Jay Bezuidenhout (17) and Gabriel Amato (16) shocked the crowd into excited disbelief, as City took control of the tie in the first stanza, imposing their dominance.
“We took our chances from that first mistake and it relaxed the boys and their nerves, taking that early goal,” concluded the Coke Cup 2022 champion winning coach. “All in all, we managed the game really well.”
Photo Credit: Ollynetic Lens
“We got dealt a hammer blow early on,” Ubuntu Football Coach Moritz Kossmann said. “Then we dominated the first half and then we went two nil down again, then three-nil. It’s tough to come back from that, and as a coach you think maybe your team will fold and give up – but we came back with 3-1 and then had a huge chance to make it 3-2. It shows a lot about our players. I’m really proud of them.”
Still, a second half wave of attacks by the red and black of Ubuntu could perhaps have swayed the clash if they took the chances that they had created time after time in the second stanza.
“I feel we could have done much better, and I felt that maybe our heads dropped after that first goal,” Ubuntu Football Captain Jordan Tobin remarked. “But as the game progressed we started to play our game; unfortunately we were punished by our own mistakes at the back. We never took our chances either. But this is for some of us a first experience, and us having such a young team and still we performed really well despite everything.”.
Unfortunately, it did not come quick enough, and the killer blow was landed by Ibongwe Tshaka (17) of Cape Town City. And while Ubuntu pulled one back through Siviwe Magidigidi (17) to give them some sort of hope as they pushed on for the second half, time was not on their side as they rediscovered the form that brought them to Athlone Stadium.
“We expected a very competitive game – and that’s exactly what we got,” noted Cape Town City Captain Onye Benjamin. “The message at half time was not to take the foot off the gas, to keep on going, to keep on pushing and to get two more goals with the mindset that it’s 0-0. On our side we stuck to our game plan, listened to our coaches, and we were lucky enough to convert all our chances.”
Photo Credit: Ollynetic Lens
For those players between the ages of 15 and 18 it was a critical occasion where they could be appreciated for their efforts, irrespective of whether they won or lost.
“Little disappointed we lost, but I’m very proud to have gotten to this stage,” noted Coach Kossman. “There are some really good players in that team; well done to them. It was a good game, and to play in front of a crowd like this – wow. It’s a good experience for them. And ja, we go again.”
Nevertheless, there had to be a winner – and that was the Citizens in full flow, with the deadly combination of a pressing team that could react to scenarios with perfect execution.
“At Cape Town City I feel the thing that makes us different is our diversity,” Captain Onye Benjamin said. “We all come from different backgrounds, and we have a strong brotherhood -and that’s all that matters.”
A momentous win for Cape Town City over Ubuntu Football in the latest instalment of the eternal junior football rivalry.
“It’s a huge relief, I would say,” Cape Town City Coach Neven Payne concluded. “We didn’t play our normal passing game, but I’m glad we retained the title. I’m really happy for the boys
The boys feel the same way.
“It’s been a long road,” Captain Benjamin ended “We started with over 200 teams, we came this far – and I’m feeling over the moon.”
Edited by Nicklaus Kruger
