Sophia YOUNG STARS

Lunch was the real tournament for our boys! 😂😂 They didn’t come to play—they came to EAT! Multiple plates, seconds, and some were clearly preparing for a food final! 🍗🍚🤣 Then came the afternoon games… only for the lunch to remind them, “Boys, I’m still here!” 😂 The legs were on the field, but the stomachs were still busy with extra time in the dining hall! 😴⚽️ By kickoff, we had footballers who looked like they needed a pillow more than a football! 😂😂

St Andrew's College Champions Cup

What a weekend it has been! ⚽️

It has been an incredible honour and privilege for our boys from eKasi to compete against some of the best college football teams in the country. To see young players from our community sharing the field with teams of such calibre is a proud and meaningful moment—not only for the boys, but for everyone who supports football development in the Makana community.

A huge thank you to SAC for inviting us to be part of this wonderful occasion. Opportunities like these expose our young players to a higher level of competition, build their confidence, and remind them that their dreams are within reach. This experience means so much to these boys and to the Makana community at large.

🏆 Congratulations to our U14s, who finished the tournament unbeaten and top of the log. What an outstanding achievement!

👏 Well done to our U16s, who fought their way to the semi-finals and ultimately finished 4th. While the result may not have been what we hoped for, the boys represented us with pride, determination and commitment.

Most importantly, football was the winner. ❤️⚽️

We are incredibly proud of our boys. This is only the beginning. eKasi to the country!

No one deserves this more than Coach Tebi & co.

I still remember the conversation we had at the beginning of the season about how these boys don't fully realise the sacrifices we make for these teams. We invest our time, energy, and resources into football, yet they rarely contribute even a cent.

We also agreed that if he could avoid losing to us, this league would be his to win. Today, he proved exactly that.

As discouraged as we've been at times, football remains our passion. It's more than just a game to us—it's something we genuinely love and continue to believe in despite the challenges.

I sincerely hope this victory reignites your passion and reminds you why you started this journey. More importantly, I hope you receive the support and appreciation you truly deserve going forward.

Congratulations on a well-deserved league title. No one has earned it more than you. Wishing you continued success in the journey ahead, Coach. 🏆👏

💥 Cometh the hour, cometh the man.

Time and time again, Liyakhanya "Magetsu" has rescued us from the jaws of defeat and prevented us from dropping valuable points. In what has been an extremely challenging season, he has consistently stepped up when it mattered most, scoring crucial goals and delivering match-winning performances.

Yesterday's match against New Seekers was yet another example of his quality and composure. With the score locked at 3–3 and only five minutes remaining, he rose above everyone to score a magnificent looping header from a long throw-in, giving us renewed belief. Moments later, he showcased his vision and unselfishness by providing a perfectly timed pass to Letho from near the halfway line. Letho calmly finished the move, sealing a dramatic victory and securing all three points for the team.

Players who consistently rise to the occasion when the pressure is at its highest are rare, and he has done exactly that throughout the season. His leadership, determination, and ability to deliver in decisive moments have been invaluable to our success.

Without a shadow of a doubt, he has been our Most Valuable Player (MVP) this season. His contributions have gone far beyond goals and assists—he has been the heartbeat of the team and a true match-winner whenever we have needed him most.

WEEKEND RESULTS

We started the game strongly and dominated the opening exchanges vs Jacaranda Academy. It did not take long for us to break the deadlock. A perfectly weighted through ball found Liyakhanya, who remained calm and confidently placed the ball into the back of the net.

We continued to control possession, pressing our opponents deep inside their own half.
Our pressure paid off again when Liyakhanya timed his run perfectly, beating the offside trap before setting up the hardworking Oyama the 🐍 , who finished clinically to score our second goal. We went into halftime full of confidence with a deserved 2–0 lead.

In the second half, however, we allowed our opponents to grow into the game, something that has become a recurring issue for us after the break. They began to dominate possession and put us under sustained pressure, forcing us to defend for long periods. Despite this, we struck again against the run of play. The ball found the dangerous Liyakhanya unmarked on the edge of the box, and he brilliantly lobbed the goalkeeper to score his eighth goal of the season. It was a moment of real quality and composure. He's been lethal in front of goals this season.

We capitalised on one of their mistakes by forcing an error from their goalkeeper. Letho reacted quickly and calmly slotted the ball into an empty net to make it 4–1.

Sophia Young Stars 4 - 1 Jacaranda Academy
⚽️⚽️ Liyakhanya
⚽️ Oyama 🐍 🅰️Liyakhanya
⚽️ Lethokuhle 🅰️Liyakhanya

🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊

To an incredible player and teammate—have the best birthday ever and keep winning!

Happy birthday Sange.

A total contrast from yesterday’s game. Two costly mistakes ended up costing us the match. In truth, the game was largely against the run of play. During a transition moment, our centre forward took a poor first touch, allowing the opposition defence to win possession and quickly play their attacking midfielder through. Spotting our goalkeeper off his line, he produced an excellent finish from the halfway line. A lapse in concentration just before halftime then led to us conceding a second goal.

Despite the setback, we came out firing in the second half and pulled one back almost immediately through Letho’s stunning set-piece effort. We continued to push hard for the equaliser and showed great determination throughout, but M Academy defended resolutely and ultimately proved worthy winners on the day.