Penalty shoot-out gives Aces victory

On Sunday September 28, Schoemansdal Junior Aces were crowned the 2014 Tsamaya Cup champions with a 3-1 victory in penalty time, after after a one-all draw.

This as the final match of the tourney held at the Driekoppies soccer stadium.

The two teams held nothing back when the game started, attacking one another’s goal post in search of an early score.

Naughty Boys appeared to have been the more dominant side in the opening minutes of the encounter. Key players like Gugu Mathebula, freely made attacking runs down both flanks of Junior Aces’ defence. For a good quarter of the opening minutes Junior Aces’ defenders were allowing Mathebula to pass them and curl in some dangerous crosses.

However, none of them were able to find his teammates, or the back of Junior Aces net. At the 20-minute mark Junior Aces started making all the right moves, advancing towards Naughty Boys’ defence, and fighting for ball possession in the midfield.

Junior Aces were making their presence in the game felt and showed that they were not going to be a pushover, however, Naughty Boys, were also not backing off the challenge.

The match reached the half-time mark with neither side grabbing the lead in pursuit of victory.

The second stanza got underway pretty much the same as the first, with Naughty Boys posing the greater danger and creating beautiful scoring chances.

Junior Aces were not completely shut off, as they also created spaces to take shots from outside the Naughty Boys box.

Naughty Boys were given a chance when they were awarded a penalty in the 77 minute, when Mathebula went down in the box. This was after he was left one-on-one with Junior Aces’ last line of defence, Themba Gama.

Skhumbuza Mhlongo, stepped up to attempt and put Naughty Boys ahead, only to send the ball over the goalpost.

Minutes later Mhlongo redeemed himself after Naughty Boys were awarded a free kick for yet another foul on Mathebula.

Mhlongo followed up on a denied in-swinger at goal by Mandla Mabunda, to put Naughty Boys ahead.

After the goal they pulled back and played defensively, allowing Junior Aces in to try to find an equaliser.

Naughty Boys were punished for not attacking, when Junior Aces found an equaliser after a curling corner kick was denied from going into the back of the net on the first and second attempts

However, it found the net on the third attempt by Junior Aces striker, General Ngomane.

The game ended one all, and went on to be decided on penalties, and Junior Aces stamped their authority on the scoreboard.

Finding the back of the net on three of their four attempts to secure a 3-1 victory, Aces were crowned the 2014 Tsamaya Cup champions.