Kathorus Hyper Academy left Randburg Stadium with all three points and a statement result after thrashing hosts Randburg AFC 6–0 in a Gauteng development league (GDL) U17 fixture.

The visitors from Vosloorus were dominant from the first whistle, controlling large portions of the first half and punishing their hosts with clinical finishing.

Sizwe Sida put Kathorus ahead before quickly doubling his tally to make the score 2–0.

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Sibongakonke Gama added a third before the break to send the teams in with a tie already looking well beyond Randburg’s reach.

If there was any slim hope of a second-half comeback, it was snuffed out within moments of the restart. Kathorus scored on the very first play of the second half through a well-worked team move to make it 4–0. Any resistance Randburg could muster simply did not materialise.

Ayabonga Ndlelo netted a fifth before Micas Ngoba wrapped up the scoring to complete a thoroughly convincing 6–0 victory.

The individual highlight of the afternoon came from Kathorus substitute Malebatso Setumile, who wore the number 10 shirt and lit up the stadium with every touch. His ball control and fancy footwork drew admiring gasps from those watching, with the youngster showing the kind of creative instinct that drew comparisons to a young Lionel Messi.

Randburg AFC head coach Malcolm Mattera was candid in his assessment after the final whistle. “We were outplayed completely today. The opposition was far better than us in every aspect, whether attacking or defending. Our fitness level wasn’t what it’s supposed to be.”

Despite the heavy defeat, Mattera kept perspective. “The nice thing about football is you come back for another day. It’s another day to come and repair what we’ve done wrong.”

He revealed that rather than berate his players, he would encourage them to reflect on their individual contributions.

“There’s no need, they’re already down as it is. I normally tell them to go home, absorb whatever’s happened, and also self-reflect. To go find out, individually, how they could have made the team better as a collective and as an individual.”

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Kathorus head coach Nathi Zwane was understandably pleased with his side’s display and made no secret of the motivation behind such an attacking approach.

“As you know, there are teams going out in the league and we don’t want to find ourselves in the relegation zone. That’s why you can see we needed to push for the result.”

Zwane pointed to the pressing game his side had worked on in training as the key to unlocking Randburg.

“We know that, in the first round, you don’t need to allow teams to come to you. Always go to them. When we do that running and training, it works for us.”

At half-time, with his side 3–0 up, Zwane kept his message simple. He told his players they were leaving too much space at the back and encouraged them to capitalise on the gaps Randburg were presenting.

“Let’s try to make them play in their own box, so that if we get the ball, we can get a goal.” The plan worked to perfection in the second half.

With the result, Kathorus move into a strong position early in the first round, with Zwane’s eyes firmly set on the rest of the day’s fixtures. “We lost in the U15s, but we won in the U14s, and now the U19s is a must win.

I hope we can get those three points and go home with nine points.”

For Randburg, the work begins this week on the training ground.

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