Western Cape ABC Motsepe Champions, Young Bafana, believe every team in the national playoffs will be challenging and will depend on whose tactics are the best to win – and coach Ashraf Calvert says the team is up to the challenge.
“At the end of the day, it depends on how you perform and who wants it more, and whose tactics work out the best,” he said.
This comes after the Strand-based outfit was drawn yesterday with Amavarara FC from the Eastern Cape and Upington City from Northern Cape in Group B of the playoffs, scheduled to take place from 6 to 11 June 2023 in KwaZulu-Natal.
Calvert revealed that both of Bafana’s group opponents have slightly more information about them after they came to the Mother City to watch them play in the league.
“For me, it’s just a coincidence that the teams in my group, both coaches, came to watch our league,” he said. “We have not watched them, but we have details and information on their teams.”
The coach isn’t too concerned about that, though.
“But I’m not worried about other teams. It is about our team. I think our preparations have been good – and we are just waiting for the playoffs to happen.”
In other groups, Gauteng’s Dondol Stars will be pitted against Umsinga United of KwaZulu Natal and a yet-to-be-confirmed club from the Free State in Group A, while Group C is dominated by the inland provinces, where Orbit College from North West will face off against Mpumalanga’s Mlambo Royal Cubs and Mpheni Home Defenders from Limpopo.
Group winners (along with the best of the runners-up) will go through to the semi-finals, and the two finalists will gain promotion to the Motsepe League Championship for the 2023/2024 season.
Zizwe United Arbitration
Meanwhile, the arbitration case between former champions Zizwe United and SAFA Western Cape is scheduled to be heard at SAFA national offices in Johannesburg tomorrow, 31 May 2023. Dr. Given Ramatsekisa has been appointed as the Arbitrator.
Zizwe lost the final of the ABC Motsepe League WC to Young Bafana, but lodged a complaint regarding one of their opposing team’s players, who allegedly played a Local Football Association match on 27 April, but also played for Young Bafana in the second leg of the ABC Motsepe League Western Cape final in Strand on 29 April.
The case was dismissed by the league coordinator as “the complaint didn’t meet certain requirements”. Zizwe then took the case to SAFA national for arbitration.
The matter is set to be attended to at 10h00 tomorrow.
