Soccer Report 2010

VICTORIA PARK CELEBRATES ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SOCCER SEASON

 In this the World Cup year, Victoria Park is again celebrating a highly successful soccer season.  Having started the season rather badly with a loss in our first league game, the First Team bounced back to achieve great things. Perhaps the highlight of the year was having our boys chosen to act as ball boys at four of the World Cup games played at our new stadium.

 VP won the Senior section of our own Victoria Park High Schools Soccer Challenge this year with a win over Walmer High School. This set the scene for other major successes which followed. 

 Victoria Park sweep the board in the East London Schools Soccer Tournament

In a competitive tournament held in East London in the run-up to the World Cup, Victoria Park High School from Port Elizabeth once again reinforced their claim to being a top soccer school. With entries in three age groups, the teams came up against schools from the Western Cape, Kwa-Zulu Natal and Gauteng, as well as local opposition.

The Under 14 team dropped only one point in the round robin stage, which left them top of the group and facing a strong team from Westville Boys’ High in the final. In the pouring rain, VP secured a 2 – 1 victory to win the trophy. Reece Brower was the top goal scorer of the tournament, while VP captain Achuma Mtati was voted Under 14 Player of the Tournament.

 In the Under 16 division, VP swept all before them in the round robin stage and topped their group unbeaten. They then faced Selborne College, whom they had beaten earlier, in the final. This time Selborne exacted revenge and VP went down narrowly 0 – 1.

 Victoria Park’s First team was dominant in their section. They were unbeaten at the end of the round robin stage, and with 5 wins they topped the group. In an exciting final they romped home against St David’s from Johannesburg 4 – 0, thus successfully defending the title they won last year.

 Ex-Bafana player Brendan Augustine was on hand to choose a Team of the Tournament.  The ten VP players who made this team were: Sima Myathaza , Sonwabo Belewa ,Yongama Dilima,, Loyiso Zitho, Unathi Tyala, Freedom Funani, Sinoxolo Booi, Sibulele Rwexana, Mandilakhe Zaze and Siseko Xatase. In addition, Unathi Tyala received the award for the top goal scorer and he was also chosen as Player of the Tournament.

 Coach Mr Ralton Leander said he was very satisfied with the standard of soccer played by his team.  They will test their skills against more tough opposition in August when they travel to Bloemfontein to take part in the Grey College / FNB Schools Soccer Tournament.

 Results

 Under 14

VP       5          Greenfields                               0

VP       1          Cambridge                               1

VP       15        Buffalo City                               0

VP       2          Westville Boys’ High                   0

VP       2          Westville Boys’ High                   1          (Final)

 Under 16

VP       6          Gonubie High                           0

VP       4          Greenfields                              0

VP       2          Selborne College                      1

VP       5          Knight’s College                       2

VP       4          Birmingham United                   0

VP       0          Selborne College                      1          (Final)

 First Team

VP       11        Bridge House                           2

VP       1          St David’s                                0

VP       2          Kimberley Boys’ High                0         

VP       4          Glenvista High                         0

VP       3          Kearsney College                     1

VP       4          St David’s                                0          (Final)

 Soccer tour report – Grey College Bloemfontein

 The trip to Bloemfontein to the Grey College / FNB Soccer Festival has become an annual event for our first soccer team. This year, in addition to Coach Mr Leander and Manager Dr Clarke, the team was accompanied by our Head of Boys’ Sport, Mr Potgieter.

 As always, the competition was tough right from the beginning. Our boys started badly with an unlucky loss to Westville Boys’ High. Things improved slightly as we drew our second match against St David’s from Johannesburg. By the second day, our boys were finding their feet and started off with a victory against Kloof High School from Natal. Unfortunately, we then came up against a very strong team from Brebner High School, Bloemfontein, and our injury – depleted team went down 0 – 3. This meant that we ended third in our group of 5 and went through into the plate section.

 Our boys were determined to salvage some glory from the tournament and they lined up three wins in a row, beating Grey College, Pinetown Boys’ High and Maritzburg College to win the Plate trophy and a cash prize. This also meant that we finished in the top half of the places.

 Although we had hoped for better, the dedication and determination of our VP side against the odds was obvious to all and we were very proud of their performance.

 Results

VP       1          Westville Boys’ High                2

VP       2          St David’s                                2

VP       2          Kloof High School                    0

VP       0          Brebner High School                0

VP       1          Pinetown Boys’ High                0

VP       5          Grey College                            3 (penalties)

VP       3          Maritzburg College                   2

 VICTORIA PARK U19 TEAM WINS ALEX 7-A-SIDE TOURNAMENT.

 Victoria Park’s highly successful First Team finished off the season with a decisive win at the Alexander Road 7-a-side tournament. They achieved First Place without dropping a single point.

 Results

VP       1          Linkside                                   0

VP       3          Alex B                                     0

VP       2          Blessing B                                0

VP       3          Harvest                                    1

VP       3          St George’s                              0          Final