Pinetown fires powerful warning shots in Kearsney playoffs
After a cool start to Friday’s action, the weather, warm and clear on Thursday, turned cold, with rain falling to add an extra challenge to day two of the Kearsney Soccer Tournament as it headed into the playoffs.
At the start of the day, though, teams first had to complete their group assignments.
In Group A, Clifton College wrapped up their schedule with a convincing 4-0 win over Trinityhouse Rand Park Ridge, which lifted the Durban school to the top of the table.
They posted a record of two wins and a draw with Maqhutshana A, but those goals that Clifton scored in their win over Trinityhouse saw them edge out Maqhutshana for top spot, based on goals scored. Both teams had a goal difference of plus-seven.
Two matches remained in Group B. Queensburgh High cruised to a 4-0 win over Grace College, while Kearsney College scored a tight 1-0 victory over Sutherland.
That left both Queensburgh and Kearsney with seven points, from two wins and a draw, but Queensburgh edged out Kearsney for first place on goals scored, having netted one more than Kearsney, who conceded none, with both achieving a plus-five goal difference after three games.
Ominously for their challengers, the defending champion, Pinetown Boys’ High hit their stride on Friday. They overwhelmed Curro Somerset West 7-0 in their last group outing to take over at the top, having scored nine goals and surrendered just one.
Urban Academy, from Gqeberha, matched Pinetown and finished with the same record while scoring six goals in their three matches and keeping their sheet clean.
From Group D, Siyajabula High and Durban High School (DHS) booked places in the Championship quarterfinals. Siyajabula overran Ashton Ballito 5-1, while DHS scored a 3-0 win over Curro Hazeldean.
Siyajabula finished with seven points from two wins and a draw – no team won all three group matches – while School picked up six points from two victories.
With Glenwood High, one of the better teams in KZN in recent seasons, missing out on reaching the Championship quarterfinals from Group C, the signs were there that the teams that advanced from that group were sides to keep an eye on. That proved to be the case.
In the first quarterfinal, Urban Academy lifted their record to 10 goals scored and zero conceded after they charged to a 4-0 win over Clifton. Pinetown Boys’ High, playing the third quarterfinal, repeated their spectacular performance of earlier in the day, thumping Maqhutshana A 7-0.
DHS advanced to the semis with a 3-1 win over Queensburgh, which left them, like Pinetown, in with a chance of winning the Kearsney Soccer Tournament for a second time. They won the inaugural edition in 2023, while Pinetown lifted the trophy in 2024.
The hosts, Kearsney, third in 2024, progressed to the semi-finals by ousting last year’s runner-up Siyajabula. The teams shared a goalless draw, but Kearsney went through 3-1 from the penalty spot.
The semi-finals, though, confirmed the earlier perception of Group C, with Pinetown Boys’ High and Urban Academy winning through to the title decider. Pinetown scored a clear-cut 4-0 win over DHS, while Urban Academy defeated Kearsney 2-0. That meant Pinetown had scored an astounding 18 goals without allowing one in three matches on the day.
However, when Pinetown Boys’ High and Urban Academy met on Thursday, they shared a 0-0 draw. On Saturday, a winner will emerge and will lift the Kearsney Soccer Tournament title.
Girls’ competition
Friday morning brought a showdown between free-scoring St Mary’s DSG, Kloof, the defending champion, and Durban Girls’ High, in Group A. This time, the game was as tight as could be, with St Mary’s scraping a 1-0 win. Both teams, though, were already assured of a place in the semi-finals.
In Group B, Danville Park Girls’ High ran roughshod over Sastri College, winning 7-0, while Curro Hazeldean drew 1-1 with Ashton Ballito. That left Curro top of the table, with Danville in second.
Trinityhouse Rand Park Ridge met Sastri College in the Plate semi-finals and won comfortably, 3-0, to book their place in the Plate final. They’ll face Ashton in the title game after Ashton beat Crawford La Lucia 2-0.
Both Championship semi-finals went to penalty shootouts and when they were done it set up another showdown between St Mary’s DSG and Durban Girls’ High School for the title.
St Mary’s and Danville drew 1-1, with St Mary’s winning 3-2 from the spot, while Durban Girls’ High and Curro Hazeldean also drew 1-1, with Girls’ High taking it 2-1 in the penalty shootout.
RESULTS
BOYS
Group A
Clifton College 4-0 Trinityhouse Rand Park Ridge
Group B
Kearsney College 1-0 Sutherland
Queensburgh High 4-0 Grace College
Group C
Pinetown Boys’ High 7-0 Curro Somerset West
Group D
Durban High School 3-0 Curro Hazeldean
Siyajabula High 5-1 Ashton Ballito
Championship quarterfinals
QF 1: Clifton College 0-4 Urban Academy
QF 2: DHS 3-1 Queensburgh High
QF 3: Pinetown Boys’ High 7-0 Maqhutshana A
QF 4: Kearsney College 0-0 Siyajabula (Kearsney won 3-1 on penalties)
Championship semi-finals
SF 1: Urban Academy 2-0 Kearsney College
SF2: Pinetown Boys’ High 4-0 DHS
Plate quarterfinals
QF A: Curro Hazeldean 3-3 Maqhutshana B (Curro Hazeldean won 3-1 on penalties)
QF B: Sutherland 1-1 Ashton Ballito (Sutherland won 3-1 on penalties)
QF C: Glenwood High 5-0 Trinityhouse Rand Park Ridge
QF D: Curro Hazeldean 1-0 Grace College
Plate semi-finals
SF A: Curro Somerset West 1-1 Curro Hazeldean (Somerset West won 2-1 on penalties)
SF B: Glenwood High 3-0 Sutherland
GIRLS
Group A
St Mary’s DSG, Kloof 1-0 Durban Girls’ High
Crawford La Lucia 1-1 Trinityhouse Rand Park Ridge
Group B
Ashton Ballito 1-1 Curro Hazeldean
Danville Park Girls’ High 7-0 Sastri College
Plate semi-finals
SF A: Trinityhouse Rand Park Ridge 3-0 Sastri College
SF B: Ashton Ballito 2-0 Crawford La Lucia
Championship semi-finals
SF1: St Mary’s DSG, Kloof 1-1 Danville Park Girls’ High (St Mary’s won 3-2 on penalties)
SF 2: Durban Girls’ High 1-1 Curro Hazeldean (Durban Girls’ High won 2-1 on penalties)
