It’s Southerns vs Eastern Province in blockbuster u16 National Week final
Last year’s runners-up, Eastern Province A, will cross swords with Southern Gauteng A in the final of the u16A section of the SASHOC National Week. They lock horns at Hilton College at 11:45 on Sunday morning.
Southerns was the first team to book a berth in the title decider after scoring a hard-fought a 3-2 victory over Western Province A in their semi-final clash on Saturday.
Three hours later, Eastern Province knocked out the defending champions, Boland A, in a penalty shootout. The contest ended 2-2 after regulation time. Eastern Province, then, prevailed 5-4 on penalties.
Southerns and Eastern Province were both in Pool B, where they finished in first and second place, respectively. When they met, Candy Blaine, Matthew Jung, and Kade Lottering were on target for Southerns, while James Chree replied for Eastern Province, as the highveld side claimed a 3-1 win.
Southerns will be keen to repeat that victory, but finals, especially, rarely follow previous scripts.
The Gauteng boys were on top of their game when they exacted revenge over Province, who had beaten them 2-0 in the fifth-place playoff in 2024.
Coach Siya Sityana‘s side conceded an early goal to Province, scored by Liam Daames from a penalty corner in the 14th minute, but they bounced back to dominate the tie. That strike jolted Southerns to life and they immediately went on the hunt for an equaliser.
Three minutes later, Matthew Jung, who has been a standout for Southerns on attack, scored his seventh goal of the tournament to level the scores. Then, in the 23rd minute, Jason Joiner converted a short corner to give Southerns the lead.
Province replied through Zach Hillman, who levelled the scores with his fifth goal in six matches after 41 minutes.
Kade Lottering, another regular on the score sheet, broke the stalemate 11 minutes later, scoring his sixth goal of the tournament. It turned out to be the winner and propelled Southern Gauteng into the title game.
In the other semi-final, Eastern Province turned the tables on Boland. Last year, the sides ended regulation time in the final at 2-2 before Boland triumphed after a penalty shootout.
On Saturday, Boland took the lead through Caleb Cilliers, who converted a penalty corner only two minutes into the contest. Eight minutes into the third quarter. Christiaan Fouché, executed a spectacular dive to guide the ball into the back of the net to put Boland 2-0 up.
Eastern Province, unbowed, maintained their pressure on the Boland goal, and they were rewarded when Michael Gillies cut the deficit in half four minutes before the end of the third chukka.
Boland goalkeeper, Ryan Bezuidenhout, kept his side ahead in the contest when he pulled off a brilliant save to keep out a strike from a penalty corner two minutes later.
Eastern Province, though, kept exerting pressure, chasing an equaliser, and just before the end of the chukka they found it, with Luke Mason striking to make it 2-2.
With no further goals accruing, the contest went to a penalty shootout.
Eastern Province took the first penalty and scored. Then, Connor Halforty pulled off a save to give his team the advantage.
Eastern Province scored from their next three attempts, but Boland matched them. Then, Eastern Province missed their fourth, while Boland converted their fifth. That sent the contest to sudden death, where Eastern Province grabbed the winner.
With one match to go for each of the teams, KZN Coastal A‘s Luc Boyall tops the goal scoring chart, with 11 to his name. His sister, Charley-Rose is tied atop the girls’ u16 goal scoring chart with Marichelle Crous.
RESULTS
Eastern Province A: (5) 2 – Michael Gillies, Luke Mason. Boland A: (4) 2 – Christiaan Fouché, Caleb Cilliers.
Southern Gauteng A: 3 – Matthew Jung, Jason Joiner, Kade Lottering. Western Province A: 2 – Liam Daames, Zach Hillman.
Southern Gauteng B: 1 – Neo Nkoana. KZN Coastal B: 0.
Western Province B: 2 – Ethan Smith, Ephram Smith. KZN Inland B: 0.
KZN Inland A: 5 – Santiago Matroos (2), Sbuyisilwe Mchunu, Nthabiseng Ntshingila, Rayhan Fitz. Southern Free State A: 2 -Eben Stander, Kamo Mohlomi.
KZN Coastal A: 7 – Luc Boyall (3), Dylan Forbes, Matt Potgieter, Luke Lambert, Daniel Rea. Northern Gauteng A: 2 – Kean Cornelissen.
