Mancosa Coastal A-League final set while Inland A-League teams feel the heat
The final of the Mancosa KwaZulu-Natal High Schools Football Association (KZNHSFA) Coastal A-League has been confirmed. It will be a repeat of the 2024 final in which Glenwood defeated Westville Boys’ High 1-0.
The title game takes place on 9 June.
On Tuesday, a goalless draw against Durban High School (DHS) ensured Glenwood finished at the top of the table, after leading the way from start to finish.
That result left the Green Machine with 17 points, while DHS completed their round-robin campaign in fourth on 11 points.
The defending champions, Westville Boys’ High, recorded a convincing 3-0 victory over Port Shepstone High, raising their total to 16 points, leaving them second on the log. Sheppie, with seven points from seven matches, ended in fifth.
By placing second and securing a place in the final, Westville has reached the title decider in three consecutive seasons.
They beat Hillcrest High to lift the trophy in 2025, but went down to Glenwood in the 2024 final in a penalty shootout. Glenwood also went all the way in 2023, beating Port Shepstone High after a penalty shootout at Chiltern Park.
Catch the KZNHSFA Inland A-League action LIVE on SuperSport Schools
Northwood narrowly missed out on the final, coming up just two points shy. They ended in third place, on 14 points. Despite the disappointment of not making the title game, it was a successful campaign for the Knights, who were on the brink of relegation during the 2025 season. A win on the last day ensured their A-League status.
On Tuesday, Northwood beat Bechet 3-1, with goals from Owami Maduna, Benjamin Huyssteen, and Dimphotsenhle Motloung. Following their challenging Coastal A-League experience last year, Northwood’s football underwent drastic improvement, with the side reaching the final of the Primo Big 10 competition in August and winning the Mancosa Cowie Cup in October.
After ending their campaign with one win and six losses, Bechet, who were promoted this season, will be heading back to the Coastal B-League in 2027.
Hillcrest High, one of the most talked about teams in 2025, when they finished as the runner-up in the Coastal A-League, endured a tougher time this season. They finished in sixth place with two victories, one draw, and four defeats from their seven matches.
However, they deserve credit for avoiding relegation, which loomed over them for much of the season. In their final game, Hillcrest High defeated Pinetown Boys’ High 2-1 behind goals from Ayedan Whitby and Thandulwethu Ndlovu.
Pinetown, who also struggled last season before going on to win the Kloof High Football Tournament in June and the Kearsney Soccer Tournament in July, finished in seventh place.
KZN Inland A-League final places up for grabs
With the Coastal A-League finalists confirmed, the pressure intensifies in the Inland A-League, whose final matches are on Wednesday, 27 May.
Carter High, the 2025 runner-up, has 16 points ahead of their last round-robin match against Edendale, who are three points behind Carter, in third place.
Edendale could make the final with a win over Carter. They would also need Ixopo, who are in second, to lose to Maritzburg College on Barns Field.
College, the defending champions, have been eliminated from contention for a place in the final. They’re in fourth place, with eight points. A win over Ixopo would lift them to 11 points. Both sides will be supremely motivated to win.
At the bottom of the table, the situation is as intriguing as the situation is at the opposite end of the log. Alexandra High props up the standings, on two points, while Linpark, in seventh, is also on two points. They meet at Alexandra High on Wednesday, and one of those sides will be demoted to the B-League for 2027.
ML Sultan and Haythorne Secondary are tied on six points, in fifth and sixth, respectively. They, at least, will go into their last matches knowing that their places in the A-League have been secured for next season.
RESULTS
Tuesday, 26 May
Northwood 3-1 Bechet
DHS 0-0 Glenwood
Westville 3-0 Port Shepstone
Hillcrest 2-1 Pinetown
Coastal A-League Final: Tuesday, 9 June
Queensburgh High
15:30 – Glenwood vs Westville
Forthcoming Fixtures: Inland A-League
Wednesday, 27 May
Barns Field (Maritzburg College)
15:00 – Carter vs Edendale
16:00 – Maritzburg College vs Ixopo
Alexandra High
15:00 – Alexandra High vs Linpark
16:00 – ML Sultan vs Haythorne
