Eastern Province rolls as competition for semi-final spots intensifies
Eastern Province (EP), the defending champions, continued on their merry, winning way on Thursday, day three of the u16 Girls’ SASHOC National Tournament, at St Anne’s DSG, in KwaZulu-Natal.
The picked up a further three points and enhanced their flawless run with a 2-0 win over a determined Western Province A side
Iminathi Rungqu and Lucy Holderness, who have both consistent and influential for EP since the tournament started, sealed a crucial victory for coach Ignatius Malgraff‘s side.
That win leaves EP with a comfortable five-point lead at the top of the Pool A standings, and a positive goal difference of 15 goals from only four matches. They have already secured a place in the semi-finals.
Western Province A, after their setback against Eastern Province A, returned guns blazing in their second match of the day and took out their frustrations on Eastern Gauteng, powering their way to a one-sided 6-0 victory.
That win lifted Province’s record to two wins, a draw, and the loss to EP from their four games – good enough for second place in Pool A, with a match against Southern Gauteng B awaiting them in their last group stage assignment.
Western Province A is on seven points, as is Southern Gauteng A, who also made a strong statement with a 4-1 win over Eastern Gauteng A earlier in the day.
Province, though, has a better goal difference by a single goal. Southerns, in their final pool clash, face a tough challenge, however, taking on the high-flying Eastern Province.
Southern Free State A romped to their first win in style, outplaying Southern Gauteng B 4–0, thanks to goals from Logan Williams, Tshiamo Sizane, Illana De Gouveia, and Zene Beukes.
In Pool B, in a showdown of unbeaten teams, KZN Coastal A outplayed Boland A, scoring a commanding 3-0 win.
Charley-Rose Boyall was instrumental in the victory, scoring twice, with Asanele Zuma continuing her strong goal scoring form by adding another goal to take her tally to three.
EP’s Lucy Holderness leads the way on the goal scoring chart with five goals, while Boyall, Alanda Rademeyer (Boland A), and Iminathi Rungqu have all netted four times.
Northern Gauteng A, with goals from Rearabetsoe Masepe and Lenique Vogel, scored a tight 2-1 win over KZN Coastal B, for whom Bella Roberts scored. With her goal, Vogel joined Zuma on three for the tournament thus far.
That result leaves Northerns two points behind Boland A ahead of the last round of group stage matches. Boland A takes on KZN Inland A in their last pool game, while Northerns tackles the table-topping KZN Coastal A, who are all but certain of finishing in first place in Pool B.
KZN Inland A were held to a goalless draw by Boland B on Thursday, which ended their chances of making the semi-finals. They play twice on Friday, which means they could bag six points, but they trail second placed Boland A by seven.
DAY 3| RESULTS
POOL A
Southern Gauteng A 4: Zuri Jimerson, Emily Quinton, Teegan Aronson, Erica Broskie. Eastern Gauteng A 1: Natalia Jardim.
Eastern Province A 2: Iminathi Rungqu, Lucy Holderness. Western Province A 0.
Eastern Gauteng A: 0. Western Province A: 6 Bea Van den Berg, Jamie Gall, Aisha Hendricks, Heather Kane, Sophia Luger, Sally Gitlin.
Southern Gauteng B 0. Southern Free State A 4: Logan Williams, Tshiamo Sizane, Illana De Gouveia, Zene Beukes.
POOL B
Northern Gauteng A 2: Rearabetsoe Masepe, Lenique Vogel. KZN Coastal B 1: Bella Roberts.
Boland A 0. KZN Coastal A 3: Charley-Rose Boyall (X2), Asanele Zuma.
KZN Inland A 0. Boland B 0.
