03 October 2018 – Clapham High School dominated proceedings in Match-day 1 of the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) – Pretoria-West campus – on Tuesday, 2 October 2018.

Clapham scored 10 goals and kept a clean sheet in their two matches against Langberg(7-0) and Ntsu (3-0) respectively.

After producing such a fine performance, they’ve already been backed by some members of the football fraternity to win this year’s competition that will conclude on Friday, 5 October. However, their coach Michael Manzini has asked his players to remain calm and focus as the tournament is still far from over.

Manzini said that he was merely happy with the fact that their preparations paid off in their last two outings.

“What is key for us is that we are playing the way that we trained. The application part of the tactical aspect is important.  We had a bright start because we are merely perfecting what we are good at and the goals are just the result of that,’’ Manzini said.

“We are a confident team.  The way we train allows us to focus more on the ball, move around and also be able to monitor the speed that we use to move around. Our movement in the field of play requires a lot of hard work and that is something that gives us advantage in the games.”

Clapham have already won the tournament on three occasions in 2013, 2015 and 2016. Last year, they were knocked out of the competition by reigning champions Rosina Sedibane High School in the provincial finals.

They got their revenge against Rosina in this year’s provincials, thus Manzini is adamant that the tournament is now theirs to lose.

“For us there is not pressure at all,”Manzini said. “We just agreed from the start that we are going to give it our best and we have to win it. We didn’t win it last year, and we now have the opportunity to win it. We are not under pressure, but we’ve got to maintain the standard that we set and take it one game at a time.”

FULL RESULTS:

SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE 2 – 0 Tshikoto

Unitas 1 -0 Ohlange

Eletsa 1 -0 Blinklip

Thembalethu 1 – 2 Sibanesihle

Ohlange  2 – 3 Tshikoto

Phaphamani 1 -1 Unitas

Thembalethu 0 -1 Eletsa

Blinklip 0 -2 Sibanesihle

Langberg 0 – 7 Clapham

Khanya-Naledi 0 – 2 Ntsu

Ubuhlebuzile 0 – 0  Arefadimeheng

John Ramsay 3 – 0 Hudson-ntsanwisi

Ntsu 0 – 3 Clapham

Ndzondelelo 3 – 0 Khanya-Naledi

John Ramsay 1- 0  Ubuhlebuzile

Arefadimeheng 1 – 5  Hudson-Ntsanwisi

SOURCED FROM THE SAFA WEBSITE.