KPFC heads to semi-finals in SAB Castle League

Kempton Park Football Club competed in the SAB Castle League play-off on the weekend by virtue of their second-place finish in last season’s ILFA Super League.

Remarkably, the team made the semi-finals which will be played on June 24.

A combination of youth and experience aided by some superb play and no shortage of grit and determination saw the team through.

The first group game against Cambridge from Nigel saw the boys in red come out with a 2-1 victory.

After only resting for 45 minutes, the second game of the day proved a great disappointment. Despite playing some nifty football and putting in a tremendous effort, Kempton was unable to break a physical Samba side who hailed from Reiger Park and who had taken an early lead heading a far post corner home.

There were few opportunities and Samba seemed content with hoofing the ball away at every opportunity, taking inordinate amounts of time over goal kicks, free kicks, corners, throw-ins and generally running the clock down.

Kempton was denied two obvious penalties when an erratic referee failed to punish a brace of shocking challenges. The final score was 1-0 and Kempton knew they had to win the next group game to qualify for the quarterfinals.

An early kick-off on Sunday morning proved no issue for Kempton as they swept Takers FC aside in a stunning performance.

Zivai Verenga opened the scoring after latching onto a Dion Homela through ball and easily slotted beyond the onrushing keeper. The second was scored by Thabo who sprinted down the left and cut inside before toe-poking the ball into the bottom right-hand corner. Two up at half-time and cruising.

Euclid Palmer headed in a Mokoena corner to make it 3-0 and also added a fourth after a mazy run ended when the Takers goalie half saved and Palmer was able to side-foot home. A simple 4-0 victory and the quarterfinals beckoned.

Kempton’s opponents in the last eight were hosts Leeds FC from Thokoza who had won all of their group games. The Kempton Park youngsters, who were from Norkem Park High School, are made of stern stuff and never backed down to any intimidation or robust play by the opposition.

However, it was a pair of old boys that combined to open the scoring. Palmer beat three men down the right before crossing perfectly for Zivai Verenga to fire home. One nil at half-time.

Leeds equalised in the first minute of the second half. It was Verenga who gave Kempton the lead 25 minutes in when he chased a long ball down the right and whipping it past a badly positioned Leeds netminder.

The referee awarded a penalty to Leeds with just five minutes to go for a handball that clearly wasn’t. The decision stood and Leeds tucked the ball away to level affairs. A final chance went begging from Kempton when Verenga failed to latch onto a Kojak cross. No extra time and straight into penalties.

Leeds scored the first. Musa equalised. Leeds then struck the crossbar. Verenga put Kempton 2-1 up. Jojo then saved the next Leeds penalty. Sina fired in for Kempton for a 3-1 lead. Leeds scored their second. Kojak stepped up and coolly rolled the ball in for a 4-2 Kempton win.

Kempton plays Reedvlei from KwaThema in the semifinals.

Congratulations to all of the players, especially the youngsters from Norkem High.