Glenwood crowned KZN Coastal A-League champs; Khaya Mngwengwe reflects on success
Glenwood is back at the summit of the Mancosa KwaZulu-Natal High Schools Football Association (KZNHSFA) Coastal League after scoring a 2-1 victory over Westville Boys’ High in the final on Tuesday at Queensburgh High.
Catch the KZN Inland A-League final LIVE on SuperSport Schools on Wednesday, 10 June
The Green Machine previously won the KZN Coastal A-League title in 2023 and 2024. In 2025, however, they missed out on the final, which was contested by Westville and Hillcrest High, with Hillcrest making it to the title game for the first time.
Westville Boys’ High’s challenge was spearheaded by Dayyan Fudu, the top goal scorer last season, who has since signed a contract with Durban City FC.
This season, Glenwood was near unstoppable in the Coastal A-League, winning five matches and drawing two during the regular season, which left them at the top of the standings, with 17 points. Westville finished in second place, just one point behind the Green Machine.
They had previously met for the title in 2024 when Glenwood scored a hard-fought 1-0 victory, with Alakhe Mdluli, the match’s standout player, providing the assist for the winning goal.
In Tuesday’s title game, Ukwazi Dludla, a consistent scorer for Glenwood throughout the season, found the net once more, with Ndalo Mbatha adding a second goal.
The Green Machine made a scorching start and were 2-0 up within the first 10 minutes. That success was offset by the loss of one of their key players, Bubele Tyiso, who was shown a red card.
Westville reduced the deficit to 1-2, but Glenwood held onto the lead to lay claim to the title.
In an interview with SuperSport Schools News, Khaya Mngwengwe, the Chairman of the KZHNSFA Leagues and Director of Soccer at Glenwood, expressed his satisfaction with his charges’ title-winning performance.
“We definitely put the work, I think more so than we have had in the past. Credit to the boys. Early morning, evening, and weekend sessions have helped us get over the line. Outside of that, we spend a lot of time together off the field, which I think helps,” he said.
After an unsuccessful attempt at a three-peat last year, Mngwengwe said Glenwood emphasised winning the KZN Coastal A-League title as their primary objective for the 2026 season.
Reflecting on his team’s improved performances when compared to 2025, he said: “Last year was a bit tough on us, but we learnt many lessons along the way.
“We knew we would be better this year. It was painful not to play the final last year, but that gave us motivation for this year. We prepared well at the start of the year.”
While Glenwood’s 2025 campaign did not go according to plan, it provided the side with valuable experience, Mngwengwe said: “If you look at our squad, you will see familiar names, who have been around the set-up for a long time.
“Many of these boys were winning it [the Coastal A-League title] for the third time. We started this journey when they were young. It has been a process.
“Our culture is key to us. We work hard on that. We have a close group. To us, the badge is more important than anything else,” he explained.
While he declared himself satisfied with his players’ title win, Mngwengwe emphasised that this is just the beginning for his side.
“We have other goals that we want to achieve as a group. We are going to enjoy this for a couple of days, then continue with our work.
“We have a long season ahead,” he concluded.
Forthcoming Fixtures
KZN Inland A-League Final: Barns Field
Wednesday, 10 June
15:30 – Carter High vs Edendale Technical High
