Misery in Tshwane as Sundowns, SuperSport, Rosina struggle

While South Africa celebrated Women’s Day, SuperSport Schools also played its part by showing its commitment to recognising and celebrating the contributions of women through the change of all SuperSport logos to pink for the month of August.

On the football pitches in the Gauteng region, the province’s top academies continued their journeys as the Gauteng Development League resumed on Friday across the province.

With Kaizer Chiefs having overtaken Mamelodi Sundowns only a few weeks ago (although they have played two games more), ‘Downs were looking to regain control over the under-19 division over the long weekend.

Coach Surprise Moriri and his boys had two fixtures lined up, which presented them with an opportunity to reclaim the top spot.

Chiefs, on the other hand, had only one match scheduled against Jomo Cosmos, which was expected to be a fairly easy match-up for coach David Mathebula‘s side. The Amakhosi, however, were made to work hard, but they came away with a 2-1 victory away from home.

Matters didn’t go according to plan for Sundowns, who had Sevens Academy and Highlands Park to contend with over the weekend. First up, ‘Downs hosted Sevens Academy at Clapham High.

Playing at home, they were expected to breeze past their opponents, given their dominance this season, along with the fact that Sevens Academy went into the fixture on the back of successive losses to East Rand Athletic Club (1-2) and TS Galaxy (1-4).

However, Sevens Academy turned the tables on Sundowns, handing them a 4-1 hiding. That was a result few saw coming, especially coach Moriri, his team and its supporters.

Bruised and battered, Moriri took his troops to Balfour Park for a showdown against the ‘Lions of North‘, Highlands Park, the defending league champions.

With a good crowd in attendance on Sunday afternoon, the teams played to a 1-1 draw to share the points. 

Tshwane-based Rosina Sedibane Modiba Sports School and SuperSport United did not do any better than Sundowns as neither registered a victory over the long weekend.

Rosina lost 0-3 and 0-1 to Panorama and Sevens Academy respectively. SuperSport United, meanwhile, hit a brick wall when they clashed with Kathorus Hyper Academy, losing that encounter 0-1. They, then, were held to a 2-2 draw by Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA) on Sunday.

Tuks was the only Tshwane-based unit to return home with a positive result over the long weekend. It began, however, with a 0-1 loss to Jomo Cosmos on Friday, but it ended with a 2-0 victory over Panorama FC on Sunday afternoon.

RESULTS

Friday, 9 August

East Rand Athletic Club 0-2 Highlands Park 
Jomo Cosmos 1-0 TUKS
Kathorus Hyper 1-0 SuperSport United
NWU Vaal 1-1 School of Excellence
Mamelodi Sundowns 1-4 Sevens Academy
Panorama 3-0 Rosina Sedibane Modiba Sports School
Randburg 2-3 RESA 

Sunday, 11 August

East Rand Athletic Club 1-0 School of Excellence (1-0)
Sevens Academy 1-0 Rosina Sedibane Sports School (1-0)
SuperSport United 2-2 RESA
TS Galaxy 1-3 Randburg
TUKS 2-0 Panorama
Wits Junior 0-1 NWU Vaal
Highlands Park 1-1 Mamelodi Sundowns 
Jomo Cosmos 1-2 Kaizer Chiefs