Varsity Football Matchday Wrap

Varsity Football returned with a bang on Thursday evening, as 12 goals were scored across the four matches in round one of the 2022 edition that had fans return to the stands. The opening round also proved that no team can rest on previous laurels, with defending champions, UJ, and record winners, UP-Tuks, both collecting defeats.

2021 champions start with a home defeat

Defending champions UJ welcomed two-time winners TUT in a highly anticipated first-round clash at UJ Stadium in Soweto, and it was the visitors who shocked the hosts to collect the three points. TUT scored the opener in the 19th minute thanks to a wonderful curler from outside of the box by Tshepiso Mnisi. The visitors carried their lead into the break in a rare tactical contest on highlights, while the Orange Army struggled to get back into the game. The Red Army even scored a second in the 66th minute, when Tshiamo Mahome found himself one-on-one with the UJ goalkeeper after a wonderful through ball by Precious Mohale.

FT score: UJ 0-2 TUT

Goals: 19’ 0-1 Tshepiso Mnisi, 66’ 0-2 Tshiamo Mahome

Man of the Match: Tebogo Lekaba (TUT)

UFS Kovsies shock record winners

In the early kick-off on Thursday, last year’s runners-up Kovsies hosted record-champions UP-Tuks at Xerox Shimla Park and started the tournament with a 3-0 statement win. The hosts started their campaign like a house on fire, scoring the very first goal of the 2022 Varsity Football when Iviwe Dyabuza netted with a brilliant header following a pin-point cross by Arlonso Diedricks in the ninth minute already. The hosts made it 2-0 after 38 minutes when Duncan Mohale scored from a well-rehearsed corner, finishing off a brilliantly executed training-ground routine with a low shot in the bottom-left corner, much to the delight of the UFS fans. The game was now perfectly set up for the hosts, who let UP-Tuks have large parts of the possession but remained dangerous on the break. Ethan Goldstone put the final nail in the coffin of UK-Tuks, making it 3-0 in the 87th minute via a powerful header.

FT score: UFS Kovsies 3-0 UP-Tuks 

Goals: 9’ 1-0 Iviwe Dyabuza, 38’ 2-0 Duncan Mohale, 90’ 3-0 Ethan Goldstone

Man of the Match: Iviwe Dyabuza (Kovsies)

NWU collect three points at Wits

2019 winners NWU Mafikeng travelled to Wits Stadium to hand the Educated Footballers a 2-1 defeat. Just when it looked like the first half would end 0-0, the game came to life when Sifiso Mazibuko received a cross from the right and calmly put it away from close range to hand Wits a 1-0 lead. But the home side couldn’t carry their lead into the break, as just a minute later, Omphile Shuping equalised for NWU with a grass cutter that sent the ball against the inside of the post before resting in the net. In the 59th minute, Kopano Molefe put the visitors in the lead with a header from a corner after the Wits goalkeeper fumbled the ball.

FT score: Wits 1-2 NWU

Goals: 44’ 1-0 Sifiso Mazibuko, 45’ 1-1 Omphile Shuping, 59’ 1-2 Kopano Molefe

Man of the Match: Tshepiso Mahlangu (NWU)

VUT hand Buckley’s UKZN opening defeat

VUT and UKZN, who finished second-last and last in the 2021 tournament, met at Peter Booysen Park, with the home side beating the visitors 3-1. Mavuti opened the scoring in the 19th minute when Manuel Makae netted following a big mistake by the UKZN defence. Vuyo Maphanga made it 2-0 for the hosts, converting a rebound from the post in the 27th minute. VUT put more misery on new UKZN head coach Delron Buckley and his team when Makae completed his brace following a beautiful through ball from the left in the 59th minute. UKZN had the ball in the back of the net in the 72nd minute, but it was ruled out due to offside. However, eight minutes later, the Impi found themselves on the scoresheet after Banele Ntuli wriggled himself through the VUT defence and pulled one back with his left foot.

FT score: VUT 3-1 UKZN

Goals: 19’ 1-0 Manuel Makae, 27’ 2-0 Vuyo Maphanga, 59’ 3-0 Manuel Makae, 80’ 3-1 Banele Ntuli

Man of the Match: Simamkele Masiza (VUT)