Fairytale continues for lean, green, mean fighting machine

The fairytale season continues for FC Tafelzucht, the Mitchell’s Plain Local Football Association’s top Champions League team, following their 4-3 win against Maitland’s Saxon Rovers, in a nail-biting penalty shootout, in their senior men’s Coca-Cola Amateur Cup semi-final, at a packed Westridge, on Sunday.

First round, second round, knockout and overall league winners, and now, 2024 Coke Cup finalists, the lean, green, fighting machine is seemingly unstoppable.

One more hurdle remains, a cup final date on Saturday October 26, at Athlone Stadium, against Vasco da Gama, who beat Manenberg’s Young Idols 1-0 in the day’s other senior men’s semi-final.

Sunday’s 1-all scoreline is a fair reflection of the game with both sides having had their chances, although Tafelzucht, in their familiar lime and navy blue, had the edge in terms of ball possession, distribution and goalscoring opportunity.

Rovers drew first blood in the first half from a header off a set-piece by an unmarked Taswin Mathee.

Tafelzucht found the equaliser in the second half, courtesy of Keanu Josias, following a good build-up from the right back.

In a battle of the goalkeepers, Saxon’s Marcelino Martin was the busier of the two opposing shot-stoppers. However, his defence did well to keep the Zucht attack at bay, with Martin kept on his toes and having to produce a few excellent saves. Ultimately, it came down to the dreaded penalty shootout.

Enter FCT hero-of-the day, Mujahid Sabera, 20, from Rocklands, a keeper since under-14, and no stranger to big occasions and the pressure that comes with it. Cool, calm and collected, Sabera has shown patience, maturity and the kind of level-headedness needed when under pressure.

“As a team, we were very confident with Mujahid as our goalkeeper, said coach Nigel Hawyn. “We’ve been in four penalty shootouts for the whole competition and he did us proud with all shootouts.”

All things considered, trailing 1-0 at half time was a good thing, said Hawyn, a repetition of the scoreline in last week’s quarter-final clash against Young Pirates which saw them bounce back in the second half to claim a 2-1 victory.

“When we went down 1-0, the players were looking very nervous and worried. We had told them to see all the support they had, reminding them that we did it away from home and we can do it right here in front of all our supporters,” he said.

With the crowd behind him and youngsters looking up to him, Sabera did not disappoint his fans.

With the first two penalties missed by both teams, followed by tit-for-tat saves and hits, resulting in a sudden death situation, it all boiled down to the final two penalties, one saved by Sabera, the other slotted home by Keith October to seal the deal for Tafelzucht.

“I knew my team was depending on me at that moment of the game,” said Sabera, all too familiar with the criticism that comes with the territory.

He said although people are sometimes quick to point out mistakes, forgetting the good moments, he would not change his position for any other on the pitch.

“I prefer being a goalkeeper because that's my position and that's my passion. I get to lead and encourage my team, even though I'm a youngster,” he said.

In only his first season with FCT after a stint with Sivutsa FC, formerly known as Black Aces, in the Mpumalanga ABC Motsepe league, Sabera was quick to pay tribute to his teammates and club management. “They played a huge role in my journey this season and I would like to thank them all,” he said.

Of course, lifting the trophy would be the biggest thank you.