Fountain Gate School from Tanzania were the first team to book a semifinal spot at the inaugural 2022/23 CAF African Schools Football Championship Continental Final after a thrilling first day at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban, South Africa on Wednesday.
The opening clashes of the pan-African schools championship had plenty of goals and some wonderful football in a true celebration of youth football in the Under-15 age group.
The matches were attended by South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr Zizi Kodwa, CAF Vice-Presidents Ahmed Yahya, Souleiman Hassan Waberi and Seidou Mbombo Njoya, COSAFA President Artur de Almeida e Silva and South African Football Association President Dr Danny Jordaan.
Some 2,500 fans packed the stands in Umlazi as 23 goals were scored across the boys’ and girls’ competitions, which will culminate on Saturday with the semifinals and final at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in South Africa’s majestic coastal city.
Home side Clapham High School lead the way in the boys’ competition after the opening day, though CS Ben Sekou Sylla (Guinea) and CEM Belaouche Mouhend Oulhadji (Algeria) only begin their campaigns on days two and three respectively.
Clapham played to a 1-1 draw with Malawi’s Salima Secondary in their opening fixture, a rematch from the final of the COSAFA qualification competition that was staged in Lilongwe last year. As the host zone, COSAFA has two sides in boys’ and girls’ events.
Kabelo Sibanda was on the scoresheet for Clapham, while Blessings Sakala netted for Salima.
Sibanda scored again in the 2-0 victory over Benin’s CEG Sainte Rita, withNkululeko Mabasa grabbing the opener in that game. Sainte Rita made up for that disappointment with a 2-0 win over Salima in their second match thanks to two superb goals as Gedeon Djossou headed in the first and Achirafou Sabam doubled the advantage with a rasping shot that was Goal of the Day.
Clapham therefore have four points from their first two games, with Sainte Rita on three and Salima one. The top four teams in the group will meet in the semifinals.
Fountain Gate School from Tanzania were among the big winners on the opening day in the girls’ competition after they completed a 7-1 victory over home side Edendale Technical School in Group A that has sealed their place in the semifinals from the three-team pool.
Winifrida Gerald shot to the top of the scorers charts with five goals to underline her rich potential, while there was a brace for Mary Siyame. Anele Douglas got the consolation goal for Edendale.
The South African side then faced Scan Aid from The Gambia in their second match and drew 1-1 in a tightly contested fixture. Samkelo Gwananda put them in front but Kaddy Camara grabbed a deserved equaliser for the west Africans.
Ecole Omar ibn Khatab lead the four-team Group B with a 6-0 victory over Anse Boileau in their second game of the day, their scoreline boosted by four goals from Malak Hajjam El Idrissi, and further strikes by Aya Ayoub and Hiba Youssoufi.
They had been held to a goalless draw in their first game by CEG Cobly from Benin, who also have four points after they beat Anse Boileau 1-0 in their clash. A penalty fromBassopa Yokossi separated the teams.
The teams are vying to be crowned champions of Africa, but also for the USD 300,000 first prize in each competition. The Motsepe Foundation has donated USD 10-million to boost the competition in its inaugural year.
Giving her thoughts on the opening day of the tournament, one of many Africa’s treasured football stars, Jean Sseninde lauded CAF for the wonderful work done.
“The atmosphere here in Durban has been truly amazing so far. The draw from yesterday set up the momentum for today. I must make a special thank you to CAF for the great investment that they are making in school’s football. We could see from today that these are talented youngsters who need a chance to showcase their talent and CAF has come in to do just that, thanks to this unique competition” said Sseninde.
BOYS’ COMPETITION RESULTS Group A Clapham High School 1 (Kabelo Sibanda) Salima Secondary 1 (Blessings Sakala)
Clapham High School 2 (Nkululeko Mabasa,Kabelo Sibanda)* CEG Sainte Rita 0*
CEG Sainte Rita 2 (Gedeon Djossou, Achirafou Sabam) Salima Secondary 0
GIRLS’ COMPETITION RESULTS
GROUP A
Edendale Technical 1 (Anele Douglas) Fountain Gate 7 (Winifrida Gerald 5, Mary Siyame 2)
Scan Aid 1 (Kaddy Camara) *Edendale Technical 1 *(Samkelo Gwananda)
GROUP B CEG Cobly 0 Ecole Omar IBN Khatab 0
Anse Boileau 0 CEG Cobly 1 (Bassopa Yokossi pen)
Ecole Omar ibn Khatab 6 (Malak Hajjam El Idrissi 4, Aya Ayoub, Hiba Youssoufi) Anse Boileau 0
TOURNAMENT STATISTICS
BOYS’ COMPETITION
Matches played: 3* Goals scored: 6 Biggest win: *Clapham High School 2 CEG Sainte Rita 0 (Group A, April 5); CEG Sainte Rita 2 Salima Secondary 0 (Group A, April 5)
Most goals in a game: 2 – Clapham High 1 Salima Secondary 1 (Group A, April 5); Clapham High School 2 CEG Sainte Rita 0 (Group A, April 5); CEG Sainte Rita 2 Salima Secondary 0 (Group A, April 5)
GOALSCORERS
2 goals - Kabelo Sibanda (Clapham High School)
1 - Gedeon Djossou (CEG Sainte Rita), Nkululeko Mabasa (Clapham High School), Achirafou Sabam (CEG Sainte Rita), Blessings Sakala (Salima Secondary)
GIRLS’ COMPETITION
Matches played: 5* Goals scored: 17 Biggest win: *Edendale Technical 1 Fountain Gate 7 (Group A, April 5); Ecole Omar ibn Khatab 6 Anse Boileau 0 (Group B, April 5)
Most goals in a game: 8 – Edendale Technical 1 Fountain Gate 7 (Group A, April 5)
GOALSCORERS
5 goals - Winifrida Gerald (Fountain Gate)
4 - Malak Hajjam El Idrissi (Ecole Omar ibn Khatab)* 2 - *Mary Siyame(Fountain Gate)
1 - Aya Ayoub (Ecole Omar ibn Khatab), Kaddy Camara (Scan Aid), Anele Douglas (Edendale Technical), Samkelo Gwananda (Edendale Technical), Bassopa Yokossi (CEG Cobly), Hiba Youssoufi (Ecole Omar ibn Khatab)
-CAFOnline.com