Rockefvs replaces Siwelele atop the GDL
After a long weekend of football in the Gauteng Development League (GDL), some shuffling of the league standings has taken place, including Rockefvs replacing Siwelele at the top of the table.
With successive victories on Friday and Sunday – over Panorama and Kathorus Hyper Academy, respectively – Rockefvs now has 19 points, just one clear of Joburg City, in second. Siwelele, who played only once, is now in third, with 17 points.
On Friday, Sihle Nkosi and Hloni Malula secured a 2-1 victory for Randburg over Panorama, their third win of the season after six matches, which has brought them a record of three wins, one draw, and two losses. Rodger Mano, assisted by Alexander Damon, scored a consolation goal for the Roodepoort club.
Future of Africa has made an instant impact in the GDL after earning promotion from the Gauteng Promotional Development League (GPDL). Typically, newcomers struggle to adapt to the greater demands of the GDL, but Future of Africa has, thus far, proved to be a worthy competitor. With four victories from six matches, they’re in the top five of the standings.
On Friday, they claimed a narrow 1-0 victory over Prestige Football Development Academy, with Okuhle Chiya, an instrumental performer for Future of Africa this season, netting the decisive goal.
Wits Junior played to a 2-2 draw against the Pitso Mosimane Youth Football (PMFY), which recently took over the East Rand Athletic Club. Siyabonga Mofokeng excelled for Wits, scoring both of their goals.
Last year’s league runner-up, Highlands Park, shared a goalless draw with the University of Pretoria (Tuks). Scoring goals remains a struggle for the Lions of North this season.
Rockefvs, on the other hand, seized early control of their match against Kathorus Hyper Academy, scoring in the first minute through Remothabetse Dithathe.
They added a second in the 38th minute, with Tatenda Nyandoro slotting after an assist from Kopano Mathabathe.
Seven’s Academy and Jomo Cosmos were in dire need of a win, with Seven’s Academy in 18th and Cosmos in 17th ahead of their clash. It was tight, but Seven’s Academy claimed a crucial 1-0 victory.
It was a lot easier for Kaizer Chiefs, who cruised to a dominant 5-0 win over the Africa School of Excellence. Gift Phoku struck twice to stake the Phefeni Glamour Boys to a two-goal lead, and further goals from Tsheamo Mosana, Karabo Modikwe, and Benjamin Eliyahu sealed an emphatic victory for AmaKhosi.
After Friday’s action, the teams had Saturday off to recover before another round of matches on Sunday.
Rockefvs followed up their 2-0 victory over Kathorus with another 2-0 win, this time over Panorama 2-0. Remothabetse Dithathe was the architect of their victory, laying on goal-scoring opportunities for Orfha Nzhinga and Tatenda Nyandoro, who took them.
PMYF scored a second draw of the long weekend, finishing 1-1 against Highlands Park, thanks to a goal from Pusetso Mokoalaba.
Sunday produced another couple of draws, with Jomo Cosmos and Tuks ending goalless, while Kaizer Chiefs found Siwelele to be a far tougher challenge than the Africa School of Excellence, and their clash ended 1-1.
Africa School of Excellence, to their credit, performed far better against Mamelodi Sundowns at Elandsfontein, where the Brazilians clinched a hard-fought 4-3 victory.
Sbusiso Tolomane opened the scoring for Downs, assisted by Kamohelo Mareletse. Kgaogelo Monanyane, with an assist from Fusi Mokhampane, doubled the score for Bafana Ba Style. Thando Singo then twice assisted Daylin Tieeme to score as the defending champions won by the odd goal in seven.
Kathorus, meanwhile, celebrated a narrow 2-1 victory over Seven’s Academy, with Esethu Witvoet scoring the first goal for Kathorus, assisted by Moeketsi Monese, before Ayabonga Ndlela sealed the win for the East Rand club.
Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA) achieved a 3-1 victory over Prestige, with the Vereeniging-based club taking the lead on an own goal in the ninth minute. Nceba Jozela extended RESA’s lead in the 39th minute and added a second seven minutes into the second half.
Randburg completed a bountiful long weekend with a second victory on Sunday. Manelisi Ndlela netted the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win over Jomo Cosmos.
RESULTS
Friday, 1 May
Randburg 2-1 Panorama
Future of Africa 1-0 Prestige
Wits Juniors 2-2 PMYF
Tuks 0-0 Highlands Park
Rockevfs 2-0 Kathorus
Seven’s Academy 1-0 Jomo Cosmos
Kaizer Chiefs 5-0 Africa School of Excellence
Sunday, 3 May
Rockefvs 2-0 Kathorus
Kazier Chiefs 1-1 Siwelele
Mamelodi Sundowns 4-3 Africa School of Excellence
Kathorus 2-1 Seven’s Academy
Jomo Cosmos 0-0 Tuks
Randburg 1-0 Future of Africa
RESA 3-1 Prestige
PMYF 1-1 Highlands Park
Joburg City 1-0 Wits Junior
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