Kaizer Chiefs are Champ of Champs winners after stunning Stellenbosch FC
Kaizer Chiefs captured the 2024 Engen Champ of Champs, their second trophy of the season, when they beat Stellenbosch FC 1-0 at Marks Park on Sunday, courtesy of a stunning goal from Neo Bohloko.
Who would’ve seen this successful run unfolding for the mighty Soweto giants a year or two ago?
Perhaps only coach David Mathebula would have had the vision for it in his mind but certainly, even with a coach of his ambition, he would have had moments of doubt as his team was far away from being as clinical as they are now on the pitch.
Locally, Chiefs were nowhere near being the best club in Gauteng as Highlands Park and Mamelodi Sundowns brutally asserted their dominance in the under-19 division in the province.
However, Mathebula, in an exclusive interview with SuperSport Schools Plus 11 months ago, whispered, “We want to dominate”.
A year later, Mathebula has successfully added two trophies to the Amakhosi’s cabinet, the Gauteng leg of the Engen Knockout Challenge and the national Engen Champ of Champs this past weekend.
On their way to the final at Marks Park, Chiefs faced stiff competition and got past all of their opposition relatively unscathed.
In the group stages, they registered victories over Virginia Sports Academy and Shayamoya FC, while they settled for draws against eBhayi FC and Tlhotlhokwe FC to top Group 1 and qualify for a semi-final showdown with Galeshewe FC.
Mathebula’s team dealt comfortably with Galeshewe FC, scoring a dominant 2-0 victory, to book their spot in the final and eventually win the tournament.
While Stellenbosch heads back to the Western Cape as the runner-up, the Port Elizabeth-based eBhayi FC took third place after beating Galeshewe FC 5-3 in a penalty shootout.
Chiefs’ dominance in the tournament was further highlighted with Bohloko walking away with the Top Goal Scorer Award. At the same time, another brilliant youngster, Tashiel Rugunanan, secured the Defender of the Tournament Award.
In the Ladies division, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies walked away with the trophy after beating Durban Ladies 1-0.
