Coach Sanele Ngcobo happy with ML Sultan’s unbeaten streak
ML Sultan stands as the lone team boasting a flawless 100 percent win record in the Coastal and Inland Leagues of the Mancosa KwaZulu-Natal High Schools Football Association (KZNHSFA) Second-Term League.
They’ve played six matches and won each one of them, all but one of them convincingly.
On Thursday, ML Sultan cruised to a 5-0 win over Thornhill. thereby securing a place in the final of the Inland B-League, with one game remaining in the regular phase of the season.
On Friday, Sanele Ngcobo, the first-team coach at ML Sultan, told SuperSport Schools Plus he was satisfied with his team’s achievement of reaching the title decider. He was especially pleased, though, with the kind of football they have played along the way.
“Last year [2024], it was our first time participating in the Inland B-League, and we learned a lot about the league. This year, we came up with a plan of treating each game as a final game where we must get maximum points,” he said.
That strategy has borne fruit. ML Sultan sports a perfect record, and the team appears to be more focused than ever.
“We’re working hard with the boys, even though we have a lot of challenges, such as a ground. We don’t have a full-size soccer ground here at ML Sultan. It’s a seven-aside ground, but our boys, they give more than what we asked for in the game,” Ngcobo explained.
Ngcobo said his team’s goal, unsurprisingly, it to participate in the Inland A-League. However, achieving that goal is not a straightforward challenge. Recently, they were pushed all the way by Maritzburg College B, scoring a narrow 3-2 win to secure all three points on offer.
Ngcobo acknowledged that the game with Maritzburg College B was the toughest his side had faced thus far this season. Next Thursday, though, ML Sultan faces another formidable opponent in Northbury Park.
“We want three points from our last game against Northbury. It will be a challenging game, but we’re looking for a win,” Ngcobo said.
It’s a crucial match for Northbury Park. They have their sights set on second place and, with that, a place in the title game.
Maritzburg College B is poised to pounce should ML Sultan defeat Northbury Park. College B is in fourth place, with 10 points, trailing Riverwood, in third, by a single point, but Riverwood has played its last game already.
The Red, Black, and White takes on Thornhill, who lie sixth in the standings. ML Sultan is assured of a place in the final, but their opponent in far from decided.
While others chase an opportunity to play for the title, ML Sultan will be working hard to maintain a clean record.
Ngcobo stated that his team has gained significant knowledge and valuable experience from their participation in the KZNHSFA, and he considers the league to be a blessing for his players.
“We have talented players such as Aphelele Mkhize, our captain, Thabiso Madlala, Sipho Mkhwanazi, Sisanda Molefe, Olwethu Mkhize and Vuyani Mkhize who broke his leg against the Maritzburg College B Team. They give us more than 100 percent and I think one day some of them they will make it to the professional level,” Ngcobo told SuperSport Schools Plus.
Reflecting on his team’s season, Ngcobo said he believes they have achieved the objectives they established at the start of the season.
“We are through to the final while we still have a game before final,” he said. “I’m very happy we will play the final, but our aim is to play in the Inland A-league next year.
“The sad part is that I have seven boys who are doing grade 12 this year, and they won’t be there if we make it to the A-league,” he concluded.
In other matches played on Thursday in the Inland B-League, Maritzburg College B defeated Alexandra High B 3-0, Maritzburg Christian School secured a 2-0 victory over Heritage Academy, and Northbury Park escaped with a close 2-1 win over Riverwood.
RESULTS
Inland B
Maritzburg College 3-0 Alexandra High School B Team
Maritzburg Christian School 2-0 Heritage Academy
ML Sultan 5-0 Thornhill
Northbury 2-1 Riverwood
