Redemption for David Mathebula’s Kaizer Chiefs u19s?

As the quarter-final stage of the Gauteng Development League Youth Cup draws closer, coach David Mathebula‘s Kaizer Chiefs u19s are in with a chance of redemption when they face coach Sifiso Mnguni‘s Highlands Park u19s at the Kaizer Chiefs Village on 25 November.

It would be redemption for Chiefs purely because Highlands Park have been dominant this year, especially in the u19 division of the Gauteng Development League, which they won comfortably after an impressive 34-match campaign in which the Highlands Park boys lost only three times.

Kaizer Chiefs also enjoyed a strong season, suffering only five defeats on their way to a third-place finish, 12 points behind the champions.

With Mathebula at the helm – the veteran of 256 games as a professional, including 79 for Chiefs – the u19s will, no doubt, be motivated to take full advantage of their opportunity to have another crack at Highlands Park in the knockout competition.

They’ll be seeking to reverse a futile streak against their opponents, with Chiefs’ best result in 2023 being a goalless draw in their most recent showdown. It took a rearguard action from the Amakhosi, who struggled to cope with the champions’ high-pace and high-intensity style of play, to achieve that result.

That match took place on the 12th of August. Before that, the two teams did battle on the 15th of April, with Mnguni’s side handing the Soweto giants a humbling 2-1 loss.

The Youth Cup, however, will pose some different questions to the league encounters. It is, of course, a knockout format, and many of the teenagers are busy writing their end of year exams.

How might this impact the fixture?

None of the teams have yet had to make do without any of their star players, but it could be that one or two sides find themselves in a tricky situation if any of those leading players are forced to miss a match.

The possible impact of fatigue as a result of the exams and the demands they place on the boys is something that needs to be considered, too.

The answers will make themselves known when the action takes place on the 25th of November, with the two big guns both determined to advance to the final four, one step from duelling for the GDL Youth Cup silverware.

Quarter-final Fixtures

U19 Division

– Kaizer Chiefs vs Highlands Park
– Joburg City vs TS Galaxy
– School of Excellence vs NWU Vaal
– Mamelodi Sundowns vs TUKS

U17 Division

– Kaizer Chiefs vs Highlands Park
– School of Excellence vs Randburg AFC
– Prestige Football DF vs TUKS
– Joburg City vs TS Galaxy/Capital City

U15 Division

– Rosina Sedibane vs Highlands Park
– Jomo Cosmos vs Randburg AFC
– Mamelodi Sundowns vs RESA
– Panorama vs TS Galaxy

U13 Division

– Kaizer Chiefs vs Siluma 7
– Jomo Cosmos vs Supersport United
– Joburg City vs Kathorus Hyper
– Mamelodi Sundowns vs RESA