It was a South African double at the CAF African Schools Championship | COSAFA Qualifier on Monday as teams from the country lifted both the boys and girls trophies in Lilongwe, Malawi and in doing so advance to the continental finals.
Clapham High School won the boys’ competition after they defeated home side Salima Secondary School in the final, while Edendale Technical High School won the girls competition after finishing with a full haul of 12 points in the round-robin competition.
Clapham High emerged as the top boys team having had a slow start to the campaign, defeating Angolan outfit Rosinha 6-0 in their semifinal. Kgaogelo Monanyane was the hero as he scored a hattrick.
But there was an even greater feat from Salima Secondary’s Ishumael Bwanali in the other semifinal as he scored all the goals in the 4-0 victory over IQRA School from Comoros.
That set up a final clash between the home team and Clapham High, who triumphed thanks to a lone goal from Sibusiso Tolomane as he met a free-kick to slide the ball into the back of the net.
Ile Perseverance from Seychelles claimed fifth place, while the bronze medal went to Rosinha, who beat IQRA School 3-0 in the third-place play-off.
Monanyane won the boys’ Player of the Tournament prize, while Bwanali finished with the Golden Boot. Kamogelo Phokela from Clapham High claimed the Golden Glove for best goalkeeper and Rosinha claimed the Fair Play award.
Edendale Technical won the girls competition after they finished top of the round-robin league.
They had already clinched the title before the kick-off of their final fixture against Mothamo JSS from Botswana but ended in style with a 4-0 win.
Nobahle Mdelwa was among the scorers and she finished as the leading markswomen in the competition with seven goals. Asanda Ziqubu, Andiswa Zuma and Aphelele Mhlongo also found the back of the net.
The penultimate match in the girls’ competition saw Anse Boileau from Seychelles play to a goalless draw with GS Ningha of the Comoros.
The point took Anse Boileau into second place and saw them claim the silver medal, with Malawian outfit Malindi Secondary School taking bronze.
Malindi had been in pole position to win, but were found to have fielded two ineligible players on the opening day on Friday, an error organisers believe was a honest mistake but which led to the side being stripped of two wins they had gained.
The Player of the Tournament prize in the girls’ competition went to Victoria Nkwala from Malindi, with Mdelwa winning the Golden Boot and Malindi’s Emily Maulidi the Golden Glove. Anse Boileau went home with the Fair Play award.
Aside from moving on to the continental finals, the winners in each category also collect a handsome first prize of $100,000, while the second placed teams were consoled with $75,000. The teams that finished third take home $50,000.
MONDAY’S RESULTS
BOYS
5th/6th Play-Off
Ile Perseverance 2 (Cadence, Sh. Adrienne) Thamaga JSS 0
Semifinals
Salima Secondary 4 (Bwanali 4) IQRA School 0
Rosinha 0 Clapham High 6 (Maloisane, Monanyane 3, Mabona, Tolomane)
3rd/4th Play-Off
IQRA School 0 Rosinha 3 (Manuel, Pindi 2)
FINAL
Salima Secondary 0 Clapham High 1 (Tolomane)
GIRLS
GS Ningha 0 Anse Boileau 0
Edendale Technical 4 (Ziqubu, Zuma, Mhlongo, Mdelwa) Mothamo JSS 0
GROUP STANDINGS
BOYS
| GROUP A | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| Salima Secondary (Malawi) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Clapham High (South Africa) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Ile Perseverance (Seychelles) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | -7 | 0 |
| GROUP B | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| Rosinha (Angola) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 6 |
| IQRA School (Comoros) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 1 |
| Thamaga JSS (Botswana) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 1 |
GIRLS
| GROUP A | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| Edendale Technical (South Africa) | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 13 | 12 |
| Anse Boileau (Seychelles) | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 7 |
| Malindi Secondary (Malawi)* | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| GS Ningha (Comoros) | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 10 | -9 | 2 |
| Mothamo JSS (Botswana) | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 | -6 | 1 |
* Malindi Secondary had points awarded from two of their games to their opponents after fielding ineligible players.
TOURNAMENT STATISTICS
BOYS
Matches Played: 11
Goals scored: 30
Biggest victory: Rosinha 0 Clapham High 6 (Semifinals, October 31)
Most goals in a game: 6 – Rosinha 0 Clapham High 6 (Semifinals, October 31)
GIRLS
Matches Played: 10
Goals scored: 26
Biggest victory: Edendale Technical 7 GS Ningha 1 (Group A, October 30)
Most goals in a game: 8 – Edendale Technical 7 GS Ningha 1 (Group A, October 30)
GOALSCORERS
Boys Competition
5 goals – Ishumael Bwanali (Salima Secondary), Leandro Pindi (Rosinha), Sibusiso Tolomane (Clapham High)
3 – Kgaogelo Monanyane (Clapham High)
2 – Siyabonga Mabona (Clapham High), Adriano Manuel (Rosinha)
1 – Shawn Adrienne (Ile Perseverance), Ravin Cadence (Ile Perseverance), Worship Chimkondenji (Salima Secondary), Latumbikika Kayira (Salima Secondary), Miala Losola (Rosinha), James Lumbe (Salima Secondary), Mosa Maloisane(Clapham High), Blessings Sakala (Salima Secondary)
Girls Competition
7 goals – Nobahle Mdelwa (Edendale Technical)
4 – Victoria Mkwala (Malindi Secondary)
3 – Leah Musa (Malindi Secondary), Asanda Ziqubu (Edendale Technical)
2 – Andiswa Zuma (Edendale Technical)
1 – Martha Banda (Malindi Secondary), Talandira Chinyamvula (Malindi Secondary), Abdou Hairiya (GS Ningha), Aphelele Mhlongo (Edendale Technical), Keisha Moustache (Anse Boileau), Akhona Tshabalala (Edendale Technical), Melia Ulere (Malindi Secondary)
Doublé Sud-Africain
L’Afrique du Sud a brillé tant chez les garçons que chez les filles au cours de l’ultime journée CAF African Schools Football Championship | COSAFA Qualifier lundi. Au tableau masculin, c’est Clapham High School qui s’est distingué après avoir battu l’équipe locale Salima Secondary School en finale. Chez les filles, la palme est revenue à Edendale Technical High School. Cette formation a terminé en tête de sa poule avec un total de 12 points. Les deux formations sud-africaines représenteront la région dans la compétition continentale.
Après un départ poussif, Clapham High est parvenu à trouver le bon rythme au fil des rencontres. D’ailleurs, les représentants de la nation arc-en-ciel ont battu les Angolais de Rosinha 6-0 en demi-finale. Le grand artisan de ce succès est Kgaogelo Monanyane qui a inscrit un triplé dans cette explication.
L’exploit du jour est à mettre au crédit de d’Ishumael Bwanali, scolarisé à Salima Secondary. Cette formation était engagée dans l’autre demi-finale face à IQRA des Comores. Bwanali a inscrit quatre buts durant ce match. Ce duel à distance entre artificiers a ensuite laissé place à un bel affrontement en finale. C’est Clapham High qui a triomphé en réalisant le minimum grâce à l’unique but de Sibusiso Tolomane inscrit sur coup franc. Ile Perseverance, des Seychelles, s’est emparé de la cinquième place tandis que la médaille de bronze est revenue à Rosinha, qui a battu IQRA School 3-0 dans la petite finale.
Monanyane a remporté le prix du joueur masculin du tournoi, tandis que Bwanali a terminé avec le soulier d’or. Kamogelo Phokela de Clapham High s’est distingué avec le titre de meilleur gardien du tournoi alors que Rosinha a remporté le prix du fair-play.
Chez les filles, l’issue était connue à l’avance puisque Edendale Technical High School ne pouvait plus être rejoint suite à sa performance de dimanche. Malgré tout, les Sud-Africaines ont soigné leur sortie en battant Mothamo JSS du Botswana 4-0. Nobahle Mdelwa a encore marqué pour finir meilleure marqueuse de la compétition avec sept buts. Asanda Ziqubu, Andiswa Zuma et Aphelele Mhlongo ont également trouvé le chemin du but.
L’avant-dernier match de ce groupe unique a vu Anse Boileau des Seychelles et GS Ningha des Comores se quitter sur un match nul et vierge. Ce point permis à Anse Boileau de se hisser à la deuxième place. Les Malawites de l’école secondaire Malindi bouclent leur campagne avec le bronze.
Malindi avait été en pole position pour s’adjuger la victoire finale, mais il s’est avéré que cette équipe avait aligné deux joueurs inéligibles lors de la journée d’ouverture vendredi. Les deux victoires remportées ont donc été annulées.
A noter que le prix de la meilleure joueuse du tournoi est revenu à Victoria Nkwala de Malindi. Mdelwa s’est vu attribuer le Soulier d’or et Emily Maulidi de Malindi le Gant d’or. Anse Boileau est repartie avec le prix Fair Play.
En plus de finale continentale, le gagnant de chaque catégorie remporte 100 000 $, tandis que les équipes classées deuxièmes se sont vues remettre un chèque de 75 000 $. Celle ayant pris la troisième place repartent avec 50 000 $.
África do Sul em dose dupla na fase continental do Campeonato Escolar da CAF- região COSAFA
A Escola Clapham High (África do Sul), em masculinos, garantiu o apuramento que dá acesso a fase final a fase final (continental) do Campeonato Africano de Futebol Escolar da CAF, depois de ter vencido, hoje, na final o Salima Secondary (Malawi), graças ao tento solitário de Sibusiso Tolomane, enquanto o a Escola Secundária Técnica Edendale venceu a competição feminina depois de terminar com 12 pontos, numa prova disputada em uma única volta, na fase Zonal, região COSAFA.
Clapham High emergiu como a melhor equipa masculina derrotando a equipa angolana Rosinha por 6-0 na sua semifinal. Kgaogelo Monanyane foi o herói ao marcar um hattrick.
Mas houve uma proeza ainda maior de Ishumael Bwanali, do Salima Secondary, na outra meia-final, ao marcar todos os golos na vitória de 4-0 sobre a Escola IQRA de Comores.
Por sua vez, o Ile Perseverance das Seychelles terminou a competição no quinto lugar, enquanto a medalha de bronze foi para Rosinha (Angola), que bateu a Escola IQRA por 3-0 no play-off do terceiro lugar.
Na penúltima partida da competição feminina, Anse Boileau das Seychelles jogou para um empate sem golos com GS Ningha das Comores. O ponto levou Anse Boileau ao segundo lugar e viu-as reclamar a medalha de prata, com o Malindi da Escola Secundária Malawi a levar consigo o bronze.
Para além de passarem para as finais continentais, os vencedores de cada categoria também recebem um belo primeiro prémio de 100.000 dólares, enquanto as equipas que ficaram em segundo lugar foram consoladas com 75.000 dólares. As equipas que terminaram em terceiro lugar levam para casa 50.000 dólares.
Este valor será de capital importância para escolas, pois irá ajudar a minimizar algumas dificuldades que muitas destas enfrentam no seu dia-a-dia.
O facto de que o desporto escolar é uma base sólida para a massificação desportiva e prospecção de talentos é de reconhecimento geral, ou seja, de quase todo mundo.
É com esta convicção que o presidente da Confederação Africana de Futebol (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, lançou um repto para o continente, ao criar o Campeonato Africano de Futebol Escolar, em masculinos e femininos, com o objectivo de promover a descoberta de talentos à grande escala como solução para alimentar toda cadeia do desporto-rei ao nível do continente, nomeadamente academias, clubes e selecções.
Dez milhões de dólares norte-americanos é o valor que a Fundação Motsepe, do casal Patrice e Precious Motsepe, doou a este projecto, assumindo dessa forma a iniciativa do projecto e que naturalmente deve também contar, pela sua importância e grandeza, com o apoio da própria CAF e da Federação Internacional de Futebol (FIFA).
Os campeões regionais em ambos sexos irão, por sua vez, disputar a fase final (continental) do Campeonato Africano de Futebol Escolar, num país por indicar de 7 a 9 de Abril de 2023. O COSAFA é a segunda Zona a acolher as Eliminatórias Zonais. A UNAF liderou o caminho no Cairo, Egipto, há duas semanas.
Por seu turno, irão seguir as seguintes zonas: WAFU (11-13 de Novembro de 2022 Costa do Marfim), UNIFFAC (25-27 de Novembro de 2022, Congo) e CECAFA (09-11 de Dezembro de 2022, Uganda)
