TUT proved to be again Tuks’s nemesis in the Varsity Football Tournament last week in Cape Town beating them in a penalty shootout in a semi-final encounter.

After nearly playing a gruelling 100 minutes of football, the score was tied at 1-1. Which meant the game was decided by penalties.

Like last year it was TUT’s goalkeeper, Sikhumbuzo Ncube – who seemingly has nerves of steel when it comes to crunch moments – that ended Tuks’s hopes of progressing to the final. He made the vital save which enabled TUT to win the penalty shootout 3-2.

Giovanni Idi, Tuks’s goalkeeper, perhaps summed it up best by saying a penalty shootout is like a lottery. Either you score, or you miss.

“We missed they did not. Hats off to TUT, they deserved to win as they made the most of their chances,” said Idi after the game.

It was the sixth time Tuks contested a Varsity semi-final. Every time they were victorious, they claimed the title. Unfortunately, they also lost three times. On each occasion, it was TUT who plotted their downfall. Last week’s loss means that TUT has now beaten Tuks in their last five encounters.

As predicted the game turned out to be a humdinger. Both sides’ players did not disappoint setting up exciting scoring opportunities even though the windy conditions tend to make things difficult at times.

Tuks who seemed to be dominating for most of the first half was rewarded in the 35th minute when Mogau Khwinana accurately whipped in a freekick which Jerry Tlou back headed past TUT’s goalkeeper into the net.

TUT was only able to level the score in 80th minute when Mogau Mphahlele scored.

According to Idi Tuks’s head coach, Tlisane Motaung, had a brilliant game plan in place.

“We executed it, which led to us scoring. We tried our utmost to hang on to our lead, but one mere moment of lapsed concentration changed everything. It is tough to lose when everyone gave 100%,” he explained.

For Simbongile Njokwe losing was not how he wanted to end his Varsity Football playing career. This is his sixth Varsity campaign. He has been privileged to have won two titles.

“The dream was to win as being the best is what the ‘Stripe Generation’ is about. Still, I think we can hold our heads high as we made a fight of it up to the very last moment,” he said.

Katlego Motlhatsang thinks that Tuks might have erred after TUT scored to level the score.

“We dropped our guard somewhat after that goal. Not playing as well as we did, but I guess that is what football is about sometimes you win other times you lose. The secret is never to linger too long as to what had happened. It is more important to learn from your mistakes to ensure that playing the next game there is a different result,” Motlhatsang concluded.

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