Jali Signs For Belgium Club Oostende. Bafana Bafana midfielder Andile Jali is now officially a KV Oostende player following confirmation by his representatives and new club. The 23-year-old had travelled to Belgium for a medical, which he passed. He will wear his favourite jersey number 15 at the Belgian club, where he teams up with Nyasha Mushekwi, the Mamelodi Sundowns striker who is on loan at the club. – Full Story via Kickoff
Bidvest Wits have all but secured the signature of Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Jabulani Shongwe. The 23-year-old midfielder is among a few players – which includes Supersport United midfielder Sameegh Doutie – that Wits coach Gavin Hunt is looking forward to signing in a bid to bolster his squad this season. According to a source close to the Students, the club has already made an offer to the player and are negotiating with Sundowns for his early release to secure an immediate transfer. – Full Story via Kickoff
Ajax Cape Town executive director Ari Estafhiou says Rivaldo Coetzee could make the move to Ajax Amsterdam either now or after a season or two. The teenager has spent the last week on trial in Amsterdam, with the Dutch club impressed by how the defender has adapted to the set-up in Holland. “Ajax are excited about him as a prospect,” Estafhiou said. “Whether he will stay there now or come back to us for one or two seasons and then go back, we are unsure at this stage. But it is very exciting for him and it is great for us because this is what we are all about, developing these fantastic young players.” – Full Story via Kickoff
New Free State Stars signing Jurie Basie is pleased to be back in the PSL and is confident Ea Lla Koto can turn their season around. Stars, who are second from bottom in the standings, recently recruited Basie and fellow former Santos midfielder Salmaan King, as well as Richard Henyekane on a loan deal from Mamelodi Sundowns. – Full Story via Kickoff
Bidvest Wits defender Keamogetse Wolff has joined AmaZulu on loan until the end of the season. Wolff only joined the Clever Boys from Chippa United at the start of the current season and, despite doing well in the early stages, the arrival of Onismor Bhasera has seen the former Bloemfontein Celtic and Ajax Cape Town left-back see little game-time. He joins the likes of Musa Bilankulu, Miguel Timm and Sandile Sibande who have gone out on loan from Wits during this January window.- Full Story via Kickoff
Nike will sponsor Bafana Bafana for the next five years. The announcement was made on Tuesday morning, with Nike confirming they will “design and develop football kits for the men’s and women’s South African national football teams”. The sportswear giant will be on board as early as the international friendly against Brazil on March – a game for which they will produce a limited edition kit. Bafana played the recent African Nations Championships in PUMA gear, despite the German company having withdrawn their sponsorship last year already. – Full Story via Kickoff
The PSL have altered the fixtures schedule yet again, meaning Moroka Swallows will host Kaizer Chiefs on Friday, while SuperSport United will simultaneously entertain University of Pretoria. Swallows and Premiership leaders Chiefs will do battle at Dobsonville Stadium. Matsatsantsa and AmaTuks will meet at Lucas Moripe Stadium, with both derbies starting at 20h00.
Mpumalanga Black Aces have completed the signing of striker Thulasizwe Mbuyane from Orlando Pirates. Mbuyane struggled for game-time under coach Roger de Sa at Pirates and has now signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Aces. – Full Story via Kickoff
Ajax Cape Town have appointed Ian Taylor interim coach of the club following the resignation of Muhsin Ertugral. Ertugral quit the Parow-based outfit last Thursday morning, citing personal reasons for his departure after his foster father and uncle died in recent weeks, with his former assistant Taylor consequently promoted to the hotseat. Taylor, who had a spell in charge of lower league outfit Cape Town All Stars in 2013, has coached within Ajax’s ranks for the better part of five years. – Full Story via Kickoff
Platinum Stars have signed former Golden Arrows defender Gift Sithole. Sithole joins Dikwena on a six-month contract with an option to renew. In other club news, the Telkom Knockout and MTN8 holders have loaned Sipho Jembula and James Mofokeng to Polokwane City and Chippa United respectively. –Full Story via Kickoff
Bafana Bafana defender Anele Ngcongca is relishing his new role as captain of Racing Genk despite the Belgian club’s horror run of form of late. Ngcongca has taken over the armband from the injured Jelle Vossen, but the side is struggling after a bright start to the season. Saturday’s 2-1 home loss to Gent was Genk’s sixth straight defeat in all competitions, and seventh game without a win. “I am the vice-captain but now only wearing the captain’s armband because our captain has been out of action. – Full Story via Kickoff
Kaizer Chiefs’ Keegan Ritchie believes his proposed move to Czech Republic side SK Slavia Prague should be finalised in the coming days. Chiefs revealed on January 10 that they have agreed terms with Prague and it was left to the player to agree personal terms, but 17 days later Ritchie has not put pen to paper. However, the 23-year-old remains hopeful of leaving in this transfer window. “It should happen this week,” Ritchie said. “I’m just waiting for a contract from the club [SK Slavia] and things are promising,” he adds. The speed of the deal has been affected by SK Slavia being on a mid-season break. – Full Story via Kickoff
The Confederation of African Football has announced the host candidates for the next two Africa Cup of Nations. Algeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia have all put their names in the hat for the 2019 tournament, while Algeria, Ivory Coast and Guinea also put in bids for two years later. CAF reports that a single commission “shall be designated at the coming meeting of the Executive Committee” on February 21 in Cairo. This commission “shall be entrusted with carrying out the inspection visits to the bidding countries”. – Full Story via Kickoff
The PSL has released a statement to confirm that Kaizer Chiefs are the winners of the ABSA Premiership Quarter Two. Chiefs, who are on 18 points after seven games, are now on top of the Q2 log table. Mathematically, they cannot be caught by any of the clubs behind them, despite the fact that some clubs have not played their full quota of games in Q2. Bidvest Wits, who are second on the Q2 log table, have 13 points from six games (only one game in hand). Third-placed Ajax Cape Town also have 13 points but they have played their full quota of matches. Quarter One is yet to be decided – with a number of clubs still having a chance of winning the R1.5-million prize. Last season, Chiefs won two Quarters (Quarters One and Three) and were also crowned Premiership champions. This means they banked R13-million from the total prize money (League championship and the two quarters).
Outstanding matches for Q1:
Bidvest Wits vs Orlando Pirates
Orlando Pirates vs Mamelodi Sundowns
Free State Stars vs Orlando Pirates
SA players abroad round-up: Anele Ngcongca and his Genk side’s horror continued on Sunday as they lost their sixth straight league match, while Andile Jali’s KV Oostende won.
Genk’s 2-1 defeat at home to Gent continues a remarkable collapse this season that has seen the side go from genuine title contenders just a few months ago to suddenly trying to cling on to a top-six place.
KV Oostende celebrated the weekend capture of Orlando Pirates midfielder Jali as they won 2-1 at home to Waasland-Beveren to put some daylight between them and the relegation play-off positions.
Ayanda Patosi made a return from a back injury as a substitute 14 minutes from time, but could not help his Lokeren side avoid a 1-0 defeat to league leaders Standard Liege at the weekend.
Darren Keet was on the wrong end of a 4-3 loss for his Kortrijk side as they were edged in a seven-goal thriller by Lierse.
In the second-tier, young right-back Ntuthuko Radebe scored his first professional goal to help Eupen to a 2-0 win over Eendracht Aalst that keeps them just a point off top-spot and promotion. Phakase Mngadi was also a late substitute in that game.
Both Kagisho Dikgacoi and Steven Pienaar missed FA Cup ties at the weekend for Crystal Palace and Everton respectively, but Tokelo Rantie played for Bournemouth against Liverpool Palace lost 2-1 at English Championship side Wigan Athletic, the current FA Cup holders, while Everton breezed past League One Stevenage. Pienaar was tipped to be fit to play, but was perhaps being saved for Tuesday night’s Merseyside Derby against Liverpool as Everton coach Roberto Martinez fielded a second-string side. Rantie came on for the final 20 minutes of his side’s 2-0 home loss to Liverpool, by which time his side had already conceded twice and were heading out. It will still have been a good experience for the Bafana Bafana player to get a taste of Premiership opposition.
Bongani Khumalo started for Doncaster Rovers in their 1-1 English Championship draw with Blackpool, Dean Furman was an unused substitute.
Kgosi Ntlhe did not play in Peterborough United’s 5-4 loss to Oldham Athletic in their League One clash on Saturday.
Kamohelo Mokotjo played for PEC Zwolle as they finally snapped their nine-game winless streak in the Dutch Eredivisie with a 2-1 victory at NAC Breda.
Thulani Serero was subbed late on in the 1-0 victory over Go-Ahead Eagles that opened up a two-point lead at the top of the table for Ajax Amsterdam.