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Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns return to GDL Action

By Ongama Gcwabe , in Football | Featured Football | News , at 2024-10-04 Tags: , , ,

Kaizer Chiefs missed the Gauteng Development League (GDL) last week as they had their sights on the Engen Champion of Champions at Marks Park in Johannesburg.

Coach David Mathebula‘s side, despite being made up of a balanced mixture of 15 and 19-year-olds, won the under-20 tournament courtesy of a sparkling performance by 15-year-old Neo Bohloko in the final against Western Cape-based Stellenbosch FC.

The Soweto giants are set to return to the Gauteng Development League this weekend as they travel to the Tsakane in the Ekurhuleni Municipality to take on seventh-placed East Rand Athletic Club.

Chiefs are behind the log leaders, Highlands Park, by seven points but have the cushion of one game in hand having missed their fixture last weekend.

However, while Chiefs lifted the Champ of Champs trophy, Highlands Park extended their lead in the standings and took it to a reassuring 73 points in 28 matches.

This weekend, the ‘Lions of the North’, will be looking to further establish their dominance in the league and tighten their grip on the top spot when they make the hour drive to Vaal to lock horns against coach Tebello Kheswa’s NWU Vaal FC at George Thabe Stadium.

What has been impressive with the Balfour Park-based Highlands Park is how clinical their goalkeeper, Morobi Moribi, has been all season.

His saves are definitive, and his positioning behind the post is accurate. As a result, Morobi have recorded a jaw-dropping seven clean sheets.

Moreover, Highlands Park has conceded only 13 goals this season, more than half the amount of goals every team in the top five has conceded thus far.

Trailing behind Highlands Park and Kaizer Chiefs is coach Surprise Moriri’s Mamelodi Sundowns.

The unfortunate fate that Moriri and his team have had to deal with this season is well-documented – the rained-out fixtures and the water-clogged fields have seen ‘Downs lose points, allowing Highlands Park and Chiefs to close the gap and eventually leapfrog ahead.

However, for a host of different reasons, ‘Downs have vividly dropped in intensity having had a very dominant first half of the tournament where they went unbeaten.

The Pretoria-based side will welcome 16th-placed Joburg City in Clapham High for their 28th fixture of the season.

With only four weeks remaining in the Gauteng Development League season, this weekend’s game promises to entertain the fans in the stadiums throughout the Gauteng province and viewers that are tuning in on the action via the SuperSport Schools App and DStv Channel 216.

Fixtures: 

East Rand Athletic Club vs Kaizer Chiefs
Kathorus Hyper Academy vs Jomo Cosmos
Mamelodi Sundowns vs Joburg City
NWU Vaal FC vs Highlands Park
Panorama FC vs Wits Junior
Randburg AFC vs TUKS
Rosina Sedibane Modiba Sports School vs SuperSport United
School of Excellence vs Sevens Academy

error: Sorry ol' chap, those shenanigans are not permissible.