Edendale captures the Siyabonga Nomvethe Schools Cup
The champions of the Siyabonga Nomvethe Schools Cup were crowned on Saturday in Durban
In the u19 division of the competition, which featured teams from KwaZulu-Natal, the winners, Edendale Technical High School received a prize of R20 000, gold medals, and a new soccer kit, while the runners-up, Mningi High School, received silver medals and a soccer kit.
The final went to a penalty shootout after the teams played to a 1-1 draw in regulation time. Edendale, then, triumphed 5-3 from the spot.
There was some consolation for Mningi when their Simangaliso Mbuyazi claimed the top goal scorer award and was also named the player of the tournament. Edendale’s Luyanda Zulu, aged 16, received recognition as the youngest player.
The tournament was broadcast live by SuperSport Schools on the SuperSport Schools App and online.
Siyabonga Nomvethe, who played professionally from 1997 to 2020 and earned 81 caps for South Africa, said the tournament is a collaborative effort involving the Siyabonga Nomvethe Foundation, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education, and the Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture (DSAC).
Thami Mchunu, the President of the KwaZulu-Natal Sports Confederation, attended the final at the Hoy Park Sports Complex and, in a press statement, said: “I hope this tournament will change many lives. I want to see another Nomvethe emerge from KZN.”
Nomvethe, the Tournament Director, whose club career included stints with, among others, Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, and AmaZulu, as well as Italian teams Udinese, Salernitana, and Empoli, emphasised his commitment to identifying and nurturing emerging talent through the Siyabonga Nomvethe Foundation. He said the initiative was designed to foster youth development and contribute positively to the KwaZulu Natal community.
“I know for sure another Nomvethe will come from this tournament. I can attest that the talent is big here,” he told the schools at the awards ceremony.
“I played in Italy, Sweden, and Denmark. You can do the same, and you have what it takes to follow in my footsteps.”
He encouraged corporate sponsors to support the tournament’s growth and expansion., saying: “I would like to see sponsors come on board to back us up because we have started growing in KZN and we want to go nationwide.”
Nomvethe ended by saying it had been a family effort putting the event together. “I want to thank my family for working together – my two children, my wife, and my sisters, as well as family friends – who supported this tournament. Working together made it successful.”
