Komphela Leaves Maritzburg For Newly Promoted Chippa
Steve Komphela has ditched Maritzburg United to take over as the new head coach of Chippa United. Last week it was understood that Chilli Boys owner Chippa Mpengesi had decided against renewing the contract of Vladislav Heric, who guided the team back into the top-flight. Cavin Johnson was also thought to be in the running given his struggles at SuperSport United. Chippa now becomes Komphela’s third club in the last nine months, having started the season at Free State Stars, before replacing Ernst Middendorp at Maritzburg. The appointment is also Chippa’s ninth one in the last two seasons. – Full Story via Kickoff
The Caring Black Label Cup will once again take place before the start of next season, on July 26 at FNB Stadium. Fans of Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates from around the country will once again have the opportunity to vote for the players they want to see take to the pitch by SMSing a unique code found on Black Label bottles. Kick-off is at 15h00. Tickets are on sale and are R60, R80 and R150.
SAFA president Danny Jordaan has expressed profound grief at the passing on of former SAFA NEC member Dick Nkuna. The Welkom-based Nkuna passed away last Saturday of heart problems and will be buried on Friday. “I would like to convey my condolences on behalf of the South African Football Association to the Nkuna family, friends and the entire football family at the passing on of this football giant. “Mr Nkuna was one of the pioneers of football administration after SAFA’s acceptance into the Fifa family and played a key role in football administration and development. – Full Story via SAFA
Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter has revealed the club are considering holding a training camp in Spain ahead of the 2014/15 season. “There will be a training camp, hopefully abroad and also in Naturena,” Baxter said at the Carling Black Label Cup launch. “We will try to make our friendly games more competitive like the Carling Black Label against Orlando Pirates to prepare the team as much as we can. The training camp will be somewhere in Europe. United Kingdom is not a good destination for a training camp and all that sort of things. The teams that time, they are not in a good shape and it is not really competitive. Spain is possible.” – Full Story via Kickoff
PSL CEO Brand de Villiers and sponsors Absa have congratulated Mamelodi Sundowns for winning the Premiership last Tuesday night. The Brazilians claimed honours – and R10-million in prize money – with a game to spare following a 3-0 drubbing of Tshwane neighbours SuperSport United. De Villiers said: “We are happy to declare Mamelodi Sundowns the winners of the 2013/14 Absa Premiership tonight. This has been a fantastic season for them and I congratulate the club president, Patrice Motsepe, management, coach Pitso Mosimane, captain Alje Schut and the players for a sterling season. – Full Story via Kickoff
The Premier Soccer League confirmed the venues for this week’s promotion-relegation playoffs featuring Polokwane City, Black Leopards and Milano United. Milano will host Polokwane at Athlone Stadium on Wednesday, with kick-off at 19h30. On Sunday, Leopards will entertain Milano at Giyani Stadium, with kick-off at 15h00.
Full schedule of play-off fixtures:
14/05 Milano United v Polokwane City (19h30)
18/05 Black Leopards v Milano United (15h00)
21/05 Polokwane City v Black Leopards (19h30)
25/05 Polokwane City v Milano United (15h00)
28/05 Milano United v Black Leopards (19h30)
01/06 Black Leopards v Polokwane City (15h00)
Kaizer Chiefs have declared their interest in keeping striker Knowledge Musona at Naturena next season. Musona’s loan contract with Chiefs is set expire at the end of this month. The Zimbabwean striker was loaned to Amakhosi for one season by German club Hoffenheim. Musona was just entering a rich vein of scoring form when he was struck down by an ankle injury, and his presence was clearly missed as Chiefs’ attack fell short in the final few weeks of the season. “It all depends on his team and what he wants for his future. Kaizer Chiefs is his home, he is our player and we always wanted him,” said Amakhosi football manager Bobby Motaung. – Full Story via Kickoff
Clayton Daniels has been named Bloemfontein Celtic’s player of the season, while Hellings Mhango scooped both the club’s top scorer and players’ player awards at their end of year function. Defender Daniels, who will turn out for SuperSport United next term, was humbled by the recognition. He told Celtic’s official website: “When Thabo Nthethe left the team, I was named the captain and I am so grateful to be rewarded for all my hard work.I want to thank coach Ernst Middendorp and the technical team for having the faith in my ability and bringing out the best of me on the park and off it.” Fellow forward Trevor Lamola won Phunya Sele Sele’s top young player accolade. – Full Story via Kickoff
Platinum Stars look set to capture the signature of striker Ndumiso Mabena from Orlando Pirates. Mabena, who is contracted to Bucs for another year, is also reported to have attracted the interest of Moroka Swallows. However, Dikwena appear to have done enough to lure the 26-year-old to Rustenburg for the 2014/15 season. Pirates have already indicated they will release forward Collins Mbesuma at the end of the current campaign, while midfielder Aubrey Ngoma is due to return to University of Pretoria next term. – Full Story via Kickoff
Mamelodi Sundowns are leading the race to sign striker Bongi Ntuli from Golden Arrows. Ntuli has attracted interest from many teams in the PSL, including Orlando Pirates, Bidvest Wits and AmaZulu. However, this website understands the KwaZulu-Natal-born player has already notified Arrows boss Mato Madlala about his intention to join Sundowns next season. “Ntuli’s heart is with Sundowns. He has already declared his desire to join Sundowns after he sent sms to Mama Manto Madlala on Sunday,” said one of Ntuli’s teammates, who wished to remain anonymous. Ntuli still has two years left on his contract with relegated Abafana Bes’thende, and his father Thulani Ntuli says he will support his son with whatever decision he makes in his career. – Full Story via Kickoff
Bernard Parker has won the Absa Premiership Golden Boot with 10 goals, the lowest total since the inception of the modern day PSL in 1996. Parker fell out of form in the last few months of the season, with his last goal coming way back on February 19 against Bloemfontein Celtic. A worrying fact is that ‘Hond’ was on 10 goals (including three penalties) for nearly three months yet still no other striker was able to beat him to the Lesley Manyathela award. Last season’s league top scorer Katlego Mashego looked to have his scoring boots on again this season before the Mamelodi Sundowns striker was struck down with a long-term injury, cutting short his campaign. – Full Story via Kickoff
Ajax Cape Town coach Roger de Sa has confirmed Eleazar Rodgers and Thamsanqa Sangweni will not be extending their stay at Ikamva and are on their way back to Mamelodi Sundowns. De Sa explained that his decision not to field the two players against Platinum Stars on the weekend was based on the fact that they will not be part of the Urban Warriors setup during the 2014/15 season. Rodgers and Sangweni were loaned by Sundowns to Ajax until the end of the current campaign. – Full Story via Kickoff
National U-20 coach Shakes Mashaba is keeping his men focused following their 2-0 victory over Ethiopia in a 2015 African Youth Championships qualifier in Addis Ababa on Sunday. Substitute Tshepo Chaine and Siyanda Ngubo scored the goals for Amajita in the 68th and 85th minutes respectively of the second round first leg tie at the National Stadium.
Orlando Pirates’ Senzo Meyiwa and Oupa Manyisa extended their appearances record for games in a PSL season to 50 in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Golden Arrows in Durban. The duo recently elbowed out Themba Mnguni’s haul of 48 starts that he achieved during the 1997-98 season when he featured in every official match for Mamelodi Sundowns. With the Nedbank Cup final still to come on Saturday, the Bucs pair appear certain to stretch their tally to 51 starts – a mark without equal since the PSL’s inception in 1996. – Full Story via Kickoff
NFD top scorer David Zulu is likely to leave Black Leopards, with both Platinum Stars and Chippa United hunting down his services. The Johannesburg-born striker has had a fantastic season with Leopards scoring 16 goals in the National First Division to end as the top scorer. According to a source close to the player, Dikwena have made a more lucrative offer to the Lidoda Duvha striker compared to United. “Chippa want to sign him but Mpengesi doesn’t want to fork out money. The offer made by Platinum Stars looks enticing,” said the source. – Full Story via Kickoff
Banyana Banyana coach Vera Pauw has called up 26 players ahead of Sunday’s friendly with the Black Queens of Ghana at Dobsonville Stadium. Pauw will use the weekend tie, which starts at 15h00, as part of the national women’s side preparations for an upcoming African Women’s Championship qualifier against Comoros. Pauw supervised a 2-2 friendly draw with Zimbabwe in her first assignment last month.
The PSL has confirmed the prize money that will be dished out to this season’s Absa Premiership participants. On top of the R10-million the league winners Mamelodi Sundowns will receive, they will also bank a further R4.5-million for winning Q1, Q3 and Q4. Kazier Chiefs receive an extra R1.5-million on top of their R5-million for finishing second for winning Q2.
Absa Premiership prize money:
1 Mamelodi SundownsR10-million + R4.5m = R14.5m
2 Kaizer ChiefsR5-million + R1.5m = R6.5m
3 Bidvest Wits R3-million
4 Orlando Pirates R2-million
5 SuperSport United R1.5-million
6 Bloemfontein Celtic R1.3-million
7 MP Black Aces R1.1-million
8 Platinum Stars R1-million
9 AmaZulu R750 000
10 Maritzburg United R700 000
11 Univ. of Pretoria R650 000
12 Ajax Cape Town R600 000
13 Moroka Swallows R550 000
14 Free State Stars R500 000
15 Polokwane City R450 000
16 Golden Arrows R400 000
TOTAL: R29.5-million + R6m = R35.5m
The South African Football Association have declared interest in hosting the Fifa Women’s World Cup to be held in 2019. Since hosting the 1996 African Nations Cup, South Africa has hosted a number of major tournaments including the 1999 UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup where the likes of Real Madrid’s Iker Casillas and Sunderland’s John O’Shea showcased their skills at the Under-18 tournament. This was followed by the African Women’s Championship in 2000, 2004 and 2010, the African Youth Championships in 2011 as well as the African Nations Cup in 2013. – Full Story via Kickoff
Ajax Cape Town youth product Yagan Sasman is jetting off to the Netherlands on Sunday for a two-and-a-half-week assessment with parent club Ajax Amsterdam. The 17-year-old, who has been part of the Ajax set-up for the past nine years, captains the Under-19 side and skippered his team to victory in the recent Metropolitan Premier Cup last month. The gifted defender is excited at the prospect of training with the Dutch side, which he sees as a valuable stepping stone in his career. “This is a big opportunity,” says Sasman. “I see this trip as a step forward where I’ll do my best and learn a lot.” The talented youngster, who is comfortable at either centre-back or left-back, is full of confidence in his abilities and feels he will fit right in in Amsterdam. – Full Story via Kickoff
Bidvest Wits’ hopes of signing Sameehg Doutie from SuperSport United have been dashed after Matsatsantsa moved to retain the player’s services. United have exercised a one-year option on Doutie’s contract, with the 24-year-old’s previous deal set to expire in June. Wits were tracking the ex-Ajax Cape Town and Orlando Pirates winger in the January transfer window.
In other team news from SuperSport, goalkeeper Ronwen Williams is set to go on trial with Spanish team Villarreal next month.
Orlando Pirates PSL awards nominee Lennox Bacela has been given the good news that he will not need to undergo an operation on his foot. The striker, who has been nominated for the MTN8 Last Man Standing and Telkom Knockout Player of the Tournament awards, suffered a metatarsal injury and it was feared he may need to go under the knife. – Full Story via Kickoff
In line with the call from Minister of Sport Fikile Mbalula to revive school sport, SuperSport United have launched the Atteridgeville Friday Schools League. In conjunction with The Little Maestro Youth Development, the club has embarked on a quest to support high school sport in the community of Atteridgeville. – Full Story via Supersport
Bafana Bafana defender Anele Ngcongca looks likely to end his seven-year spell with Belgium side KRC Genk, with Greek side Olympiakos a likely destination. The 26-year-old joined Genk from FC Fortune in 2007 and helped the Belgium side win the league in 2010/11, as well as Belgium Cup in 2009 and 2013. But Ngcongca, who has also captained Genk, says the time has come to move on. “I’m happy at the Genk now and will be here until I get a concrete offer elsewhere,” says Ngcongca. “But I’m ready for a move if the right offer comes because I want to compete with other players. – Full Story via Kickoff
SuperSport United are keen to bring Bafana Bafana striker Dino Ndlovu to the club on a permanent basis next season. Ndlovu is currently on loan to United from Maccabi Haifa in Israel and it is understood that Matsatsantsa CEO Stan Matthews was in Israel recently to negotiate a deal for the 24-year-old striker. – Full Story via Kickoff
Bafana Bafana have moved up one spot in the latest Fifa/Coca Cola World rankings, which was released last Thursday. South Africa replaced the Republic of Ireland in 65th position in the rankings, while also moving up a position to 14th on the continent. The top of the rankings remained unchanged, with Spain leading the standings ahead of Germany and Portugal. Spain have now topped the table since September 2011. – Full Story via Kickoff
SA players abroad:
Kagisho Dikgacoi and Steven Pienaar closed their English Premiership season with appearances off the bench on Sunday. Dikgacoi was a second-half substitute for Crystal Palace as they drew 2-2 at Fulham to finish a credible 11th on the table after at one point they were seemingly doomed to relegation. Pienaar, who had not played since early March through injury, came on for the final 13 minutes of Everton’s 2-0 win at Hull City. The Toffees finished fifth and will be in the UEFA Europa League next season.
Bafana Bafana left-back Kgosi Ntlhe was in the Peterborough United side that were held 1-1 by Leyton Orient in the first leg of their English League One play-off fixture.
Ayanda Patosi was left out of the Lokeren match-day squad for the 3-1 loss at Zulte-Waragem on Saturday, but Andile Jali started against for KV Oostende as they played to a 2-2 draw with Kortrijk in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League play-off final.
Anele Ngcongca played for Genk as they were humbled 4-0 at Anderlecht. This season cannot end quickly enough for the Bafana right-back and his teammates.
In the second tier promotion/relegation play-offs, Phakase Mngadi was sent-off for Eupen as they won 1-0 at Mouscron-Peruwelz to top the pool at the halfway stage. Mngadi got his red card 15 minutes from time, while Ntuthuko Radebe started the game but was replaced early in the second period.
May Mahlangu netted his first goal of the season as Goteborg won 2-1 at Ayanda Nkili’s Orebro, with the latter coming off the bench at half-time.
Surprise Ralani started for Landskrona in the Swedish second division as their poor start to the new season continued with a 3-2 loss at Ostersunds.
Daylon Claasen played for Lech Poznan as they made it three wins from three in the Championship play-offs in Poland to stay five points behind leaders Legia Warsaw and in contention for the league title this season.
Lebogang Phiri was in the Brondby side that were held 1-1 by Randers in Denmark, while Lukas Schenkel scored for FC Thun as they went down 3-1 to Sion in Switzerland.
Joel Untersee was replaced late on for Swiss second-tier side Vaduz as they lost 2-0 at FC Wil, but it mattered not as the club already secured promotion to the top-flight some two weeks ago.
Finally, Sergio Marakis closed his Portuguese league season with a second-half sub appearance for Maritimo, who beat Rio Ave 1-0 and finished sixth.