The latest round of fixtures in the Cosmo City Local Football Association Junior League saw plenty of action and determination as young players showcased their talent and passion for the game.

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In the U13 division, PND Kya Sands claimed a convincing 3–0 victory over Happy Boys. The halftime score stood at 1–0 to PND, who went on to dominate the second half.

PND head coach Michael Kupezare praised his team’s progress, saying, “The boys started slow in the first half, but they were able to find their rhythm. With more encouragement, they scored again in the second half. I think we just need to train more and improve team bonding.”

The win pushed PND up the league table, with Kupezare confident the side can move from eighth place to sixth in the coming weeks.

Despite the loss, Happy Boys’ assistant coach remained optimistic. “We could have done better. The boys were tired, and some didn’t attend training, so the fitness was lacking,” he said. “But we’ll come back stronger. We like to focus on passing and ball control rather than just kicking the ball upfield.”

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In the U15 division, Golden Boys and Royal Gunners played out a thrilling 3–3 draw that kept supporters on the edge of their seats. The game’s highlight came from Royal Gunners striker Ntando Radebe, who scored a late hat-trick to rescue a point for his team.

Golden Boys coach TK Shabalala expressed disappointment with the result. “Today’s performance was very poor. We should have finished the game in the first half. We created so many chances but didn’t convert them,” he said. “In the next game, we must be more clinical in front of goal.”

Royal Gunners senior coach Peter Matlare also had mixed feelings after the draw. “I’m not happy with the result. The team didn’t play the way they normally do,” he said. “We’ll be using some of the same players in the U17 game next week, and I believe we’ll see a better performance.”

Despite his personal heroics, Ntando shared the coach’s disappointment. “I’m very disappointed with the result because the team was counting on me to bring them back. Even though I scored a hat-trick, I’m not happy because we didn’t win,” he said.

As the Cosmo City junior league heads into its final stretch, young players continue to learn, grow, and compete with heart, setting the stage for an exciting finish to the season.

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