Blog

THE MTC Hopsol Youth Soccer League ended in fairytale fashion on Saturday when Riverheights Football Academy won the u17 title after beating Athletic Club Football Academy 1-0 in the final.

Riverheights was established barely two years ago, mostly for children from the Goreangab informal settlement area, and since then they have overcome tremendous odds to win their first title.

Nixon Marcus, the club’s founder and technical director said it was an amazing achievement.

“I’m speechless, it’s an amazing, amazing achievement by the boys. It was a really tough game, but I think our boys went in with the right commitment and attitude, and they really wanted it. They scored early and then held on for dear life until we managed to beat ACFA which is a very good team 1-0,” he said.

Riverheights’ pint-sized striker Edward Veikko scored the winning goal early on after running onto a long cross and heading in unmarked at the far post.

ACFA came back strongly and nearly scored when Antonio Kezmer’s shot was cleared off the line, but Riverheights defended courageously, while the referee had to talk to both sides to calm down matters after some flying tackles.

ACFA continued to attack in the second half with Kezmer and Marcezino Sapalaco coming close, but Riverheights’ defence, stood firm with Licius Mbahuma making some telling tackles and clearances.

Riverheights managed to hold on for victory and the final whistle was greeted with jubilation and ecstasy by their players, technical staff and handful of fans amongst the spectators.

Marcus said he only started the club about two years ago after being approached by some young boys in the area.

“It’s crazy, it only started about two years ago when some small boys asked me to start a football team. I said, OK fine, so I used to give them balls – we had a small pitch, where they used to kick on Saturdays and Sundays,” he said.

“Then last year I decided to take things seriously, so we registered with the Hopsol league, it was our first year and it was a baptism of fire, but we kept on training, the whole week from Mondays to Saturdays and sometimes on Sundays, everyday the boys trained and today it showed – this is just the result of all the hard work and dedication by the boys,” he added.

Marcus said the children had to overcome tremendous odds to succeed.

“Man you must see the place, there is no football pitch, we managed to level it somehow, but there’s just rocks and the kids don’t have shoes, they were playing barefoot, we didn’t have balls and there’s nothing. There’s no running water, no toilets, it’s just terrible and these kids, coming from where they’re coming from, against all odds, fighting poverty, it’s just amazing,” he said. “This title will mean everything to them, especially in terms of life lessons, that if you work hard and dedicate yourself to something you can overcome anything. I think even for the location where they are coming from this is just amazing,” he added.

The under 15 title, meanwhile was won by the Collin Benjamin Soccer Academy after they beat Kaizen Football Academy 1-0 in the final. Ebson Mbaha scored the winning goal in the dying minutes of the game, after shooting a corner clearance high into the net.

At the awards ceremony, Veikko won the u17 Most Valuable Player award, while team mate Mutelembe Sakal was the top goal scorer with nine goals.

Sheyloh Black of ACFA and Ronalso Kamatuka of Kasaona Football Academy shared the top goal keeper award; Marcus and Larry Luya of Riverheights shared the coach of the year award, and ACFA A won the team of the year award.

In the u15 category, Robinho van Wyk of KFA won the Most Valuable Player award, Phileas Janka of CBS won the goalkeeper of the year award; Nelson Khadikwa of Riverheights won the top goalscorer award; James Britz of KFA won the coach of the year award; and DTS won the team of the year award.