MARK WARD
Matroosfontein FC’s class of 2023 will be out to emulate the success of the club’s former heroes who triumphed in the first under-19 Bayhill Premier Cup back in 1989. The tournament kicks off today, Wednesday April 5, at Erica Park, in Belhar.
By the luck of the draw, tinged with a bit of irony, Matroosfontein will open the 2023 event since winning that first Cup 34 years ago against FC Porto.
The annual spectacle gets under way with a 3pm kick-off with matches scheduled to run until Sunday at the Belhar venue before it moves to the Athlone stadium for the final.
Edgar Francis, head coach of Matroosfontein’s 2023-side, recalls the 1989 team of which star players such as Kamal Sait, John Daniels and Dean Daniels played an integral part of their success.
“I was already a senior at the time but it was a formidable team I recall. While I only mentioned a few names, that was a great side and most of the players went on to become very successful pro players,” recalled Francis.
He is, however, positive of his 2023 prodigies doing well in this year’s edition.
“Our preparation went extremely well and I’m pretty much satisfied with our team doing well. It’s a good group of youngsters keen on achieving success,” added Francis.
Meanwhile a group of players who initially didn’t make it for any of the teams competing in this year’s showpiece have now been thrown together and are considered the “dark horses” in the event which will conclude on Monday at Athlone Stadium.
The Safa CT XI will be competing for the second time and consists of players whose teams fell out during the qualifiers of this popular tournament. The best players have been banded together to form a side that could potentially upset perennial favourites such as defending champions Cape Town Spurs (formerly known as Ajax Cape Town) and SuperSport United, who are both back in search of glory.
Boebie Solomons, co-ordinating the project for Safa Cape Town, said this is the second year that Safa has been invited to enter a representative team. “Last year there were numerous teething problems because we had to quickly assemble a team.
“However, this time we had more time preparing with training for the training sessions but I must admit it was very challenging. These players had to gel into a unit and logistically they came from various suburbs unlike many teams who are area-based,” said Solomons.
While Solomons was part of the preparations the side was coached by Mangaliso “Shakes” Ntombana, assisted by Goodman Lewis and Tereah Mini.
The Invitational side get their campaign off against professional outfit, Cape Town City on the B-field at 3pm.
Former winners:
2022 Cape Town Spurs
2021 No champs (Covid-19 lockdown)
2020 No champs (Covid-19 lockdown)
2019 Highlands Park
2018 No champs (tournament cancelled)
2017 SuperSport United
2016 SuperSport United
2015 Glendene United
2014 Ajax Cape Town
2013 Ajax Cape Town
2012 Philippi United
2011 Komesho
2010 SuperSport United
2009 Mamelodi Sundowns
2008 Ajax Cape Town
2007 Bright Stars
2006 Harmony Academy
2005 Ajax Cape Town
2004 Ajax Cape Town
2003 Wits University
2002 Hellenic
2001 Ajax Cape Town
2000 Santos
1999 Santos
1998 Michau Warriors
1997 Hellenic
1996 Hellenic
1995 Hellenic
1994 Hellenic
1993 Hellenic
1992 Battswood
1991 Jamestown-Cathkin
1990 St Johns
1989 Matroosfontein
Fixtures
Wednesday April 5 at 3pm
Matroosfontein v FC Porto
Cape Town City v Safa Cape Town Academy
Dunoon Sporting v Jomo’s Power FC
Wednesday April 5 at 4.15pm
Queens Park Rangers v Young Bafana Academy
Rygersdal FC v Hazendal United FC
Grassy Park United v Greenwood Athletic
Wednesday April 5 at 5.30pm
City Kings v JL Zwane FC
Wednesday April 5 at 7pm
Stellenbosch v Hellenic
• For a full list of the fixtures visit www.premiercup-bayhill.co.za
