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Sport
June 2, 2016 Uvolwethu Express
Mzimvubu boys conquer the province SIMBONGILE MDLEDLE A TEAM of young boys from Matatiele were untouchable during the provincial Danone Nations Cup soccer competition held in East London recently. Barkerville Junior Secondary School, by winning the final of this tournament, paved the way to representing the province in the Danone Nations Cup national finals in a few weeks’ time, with the goal of winning the national title and having another chance to prove themselves at the competition’s world finals in France later in the year. They got this chance by beating Ngubethole Bam Junior Secondary School 2 – 1 in the provincial finals. Barkerville are not newcomers in this tournament as they went to the world finals in Spain in 2011, where they also shone. Their excited coach, Mpilo Changa, said the experience he gained in Spain had changed his approach to coaching and he believes this would stand them in good stead at the nationals. “The world finals taught me a lot, particularly in the scoring department,” he said. “The team from Germany were taught to score from anywhere. “In one game, one of their players received the ball on the halfway mark, with his back to the goal. “He controlled the ball, turned and stuck it in the back of the net. Those are the sorts of skills you
need to succeed at that level”, he said. Changa said this team might not have as many talented players as the one that went to Spain, but he said they were stronger physically, and played as a team. “They pass the ball well and I want to see them sharing the ball and showing composure in front of the goals. They can keep possession, but at the same time they must pass to players in the gaps so that they have the opportunity to score,” he said. In preparation for the national finals, the coach intends organising as many friendly matches as he can. “We will be playing against local opposition in our neighbouring towns. I am going to make them physically fitter, but I also want to work on the mental side of the game. I want my kids not to be afraid of the opposition. They must learn to trust and believe in themselves,” he said. The players who are expected to shine during the national finals include gifted left-footed player Bunathi Khala and striker Sindisa Pheyana.
The provincial results are:
Game 1: Debera JSS 0 v Gcinubuzwe CS 3 Game 2: Ben Nyati PS 0 (0) v Ngubethole Bam JSS 0 (2) Game 3: Barkerville JSS 2 v Maruping PS 0 Game 4: Debera JSS 0 v Ben Nyati PS 3
These boys from Mzimvubu will represent the Eastern Cape in the Danone Nations Cup. Game 5: Gcinubuzwe CS 0 v Ngubethole Bam JSS 2 Game 6: Maruping PS 0 (1) v Guqaza JSS 0 (2)
Game 7: Ngubethole Bam JSS 1 v Debera JSS 0 Game 8: Ben Nyati PS 2 v Gcinubuzwe CS 0
East Cape boxers and ring officials join theWBF NCEBA DLADLA EASTERN Cape boxing is to benefit immensely from working with the World Boxing Federation (WBF). This became evident when WBF president Howard Goldberg came to Nelson Mandela Bay for a boxing tournament, organised by the Nelson Mandela Bay Boxing Promoters Association in conjunction with the Municipality’s sport and recreation department. The tournament featured two WBF All Africa title fights. In the tournament, Grahamstown’s Eastern Cape welterweight champion Mziwoxolo “Black Tiger” Ndwalaza stopped Port Elizabeth’s Anelisa “Sugar Ray” Gungqisa in the fifth of their 12-round bout, while East London’s former South African flyweight champion, Xola Sifama, gained the WBF flyweight title after stopping Uitenhage’s Mfundo Mbengashe in the seventh round. “I am very pleased to work with the Eastern Cape. This province has enormous talent. The area produced great fighters like Welcome Ncita, Vuyani Bungu, Mbulelo Botile, Mzukisi Sikali and Vuyani Nene, to mention but a few,” said Goldberg, of Cape Town. Goldberg is the former Western Cape’s Boxing South Africa (BSA)
International ring official with loads of experience. He first came to the Bay as WBF president in December when Port Elizabeth’s Siphosethu “The Gift” Ncisane won the WBF International mini-flyweight championship, beating Port Alfred’s Ndikho Magadaza via an 11th-round knockout. This tournament was to open an opportunity for local ring officials to join the WBF as referees and judges in order to take part in tournaments like those who were members of the IBF, WBC, WBA, WBO and IBO world boxing bodies. “Through this body, I am giving South Africans an opportunity to fight for titles and become world champions,” said Goldberg, who took presidency of this world boxing sanctioning body in 2009. WBF was formed by American Larry Carrier in 1988. To date, it has sanctioned morethan 300 title bouts in more than 40 countries. In its list of champions the WBF has names from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Korea, Japan, China and Indonesia. The great Evander Holyfield of the US and South Africa’s Francois Botha once held the WBF titles. Noni Tenge of East London is the WBF female super welterweight
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Game 9: Guqaza JSS 0 v Barkerville JSS 1 Final: Ngubethole Bam 1 v Barkerville 2
Thunderbirds Ladies prepare for tough match BUTTERWORTH soccer team Thunderbirds Ladies are to visit the strong Port Elizabeth women’s team, Golden Stars, this weekend in a Sasol Coastal Stream League match at the Gelvan fields. Both sides will expect to do well in this highly anticipated game in order to get three maximum points to climb the league table. Thunderbirds Ladies are in the second spot and Golden Stars are fourth. Both sides have played two matches and won one and drawn one. In other weekend fixtures, log leaders City Lads will host Sophakama Ladies at the Chevrolet Stadium, Manchester Babes FC will entertain Mustangs Ladies FC at Jabavu Stadium and University of Fort Hare will lock horns with Birmingham City FC at the university ground.
WBF president Howard Goldberg with C Sun Boxing Promotions head China Mpololo, who has interests in the promotion of new WBF Africa welterweight champion Mziwoxolo Ndwayana. PHOTO: NCEBA DLADLA champion and boxers like Zolani Tete, Simphiwe Vetyeka, and Xol-
isani Ndongeni are rated in the top 10 in their divisions.
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