‘We qualified for the Bayhill with one ball’

FC Porto, Everton FC, Rebels FC and Clover FC are through to the 2024 under-19 Bayhill Premier Cup tournament, which will be played at Erica Park in Belhar during the Easter weekend.

The struggles of waking up in the early hours to organise a training ground in Philippi has finally paid off, says the coach of FC Porto, Khanyo Majezi.

FC Porto are the junior champions of the Greater Philippi Local Football Association (LFA). Over the past year, they have done exceptionally well for their community. Apart from overcoming some of the socio-economic issues, through sport, they have gone on to win numerous trophies, including the Gareth Ncaca Foundation’s under-20 tournament in Langa last year.

This time, they have qualified, for the third time, for the 2024 Bayhill Premier Cup under-19 tournament - using just one single ball to practise.

Majezi said they are extremely grateful to the players for the dedication, to the coaching staff for the hard work, to the parents for the support and to the community leaders for assisting where they could.

“We struggle but because of that we work a lot on fitness. We train at a créche, at Khululeka, in Philippi, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, at 5pm. It is where the club meets. For the players who are at home and were in matric last year, we train at 10am at Brown’s Farms so that we don’t interrupt the créche. It is a tight space but we make use of the cones we received from the community and make it work,” said Majezi.

Joined by Clover FC from Mandalay, Everton FC from Nyanga and Rebels FC from Lingelethu, Porto are among 19 teams from Cape Town that will participate in the 32-team international tournament at Erica Park.

A week ahead of the Bayhill Cup, Porto will be defending their championship status in the Gareth Ncaca Foundation’s under-20 tournament again, at the Langa Stadium. The last time they won it, they beat Gqeberha’s Hanley FC in the final.

Gareth Ncaca said more than 32 teams from across the city will join his tournament, which will be a lot more trickier for Porto this time around.

Majezi said their mission is to give the boys an opportunity to showcase their talent against the city’s best and to eventually play among the PSL teams.

“As a team from elokshini we are grateful for this opportunity. We don’t have much but gratitude to the people involved. We’ve been qualifying for the Bayhill with one ball. We don’t let our obstacles come in our way. We make a plan. We don’t complain. We do this out of passion,” he said.

Majezi said they are currently looking for donations for 10 footballs, training equipment, match-day kit, water bottles and First Aid kits. For more information, contact Khanyo Majezi at fcporto_embizweni@outlook.com or call 079 375 3562 / 081 403 2023.

Meanwhile, qualifying for the Bayhill Cup came with a bag of mixed emotions for Rebels FC’s coach, Thulani Njili.

“For us to qualify, it gives the kids more opportunities to be scouted. If one of the boys gets it, it gives hope to the others,” he said.

Registered as an non-profit organisation, Njili said their vision at Rebels is to transform the athletes into role models. Right now, however, their challenge is getting from Khayelitsha to Belhar, in March.

To assist Njili and his pack at Rebels FC, reach out on 073 179 7908.

“Most of the kids come from homes with nobody working. All of this goes without saying that it needs money. We are raising money, from R3500, to participate. We have to also put together transport for the players to go to Belhar everyday,” said Njili.

In Nyanga, Everton FC’s coach, Thabo Madlatu, said his squad, fearsome as they could ever be, is led by captain Siyanda Mabadi.

Coach Madlatu said they cannot contain how excited they are to be representing their community of Nyanga alongside PSL giants Kaizer Chiefs, Supersport United, Bidvest Wits, Highlands Park and Mamelodi Sundowns.

“This club and this tournament, they give a laaitie from Nyanga hope. I spoke to the team before the Bayhill play-offs and our deal was that they showcase their talent. Players like Zukile Kewuti, Buhle Thompson and Mihlali Blesi (USA) went out there and made a name for themselves in the PSL and abroad. They are great examples to our boys,” said Madlatu.

For more information about the Nyanga LFA champions, Everton FC, contact coach Thabo Madlatu on 082 625 3251.

In Mandalay, Clover FC’s club president, Songezi Ndyoko said they have been proud of their brand since its inception in 2008. Formerly known as Dynamos FC, Clover FC was popularised by the community of Mandalay for the colourful strip sponsored by the dairy-products company.

Ndyoko said a majority of their players come from informal settlements in Lower Crossroads and walk to Mandalay, or they jump on a R10 taxi known as iphela, to play a global sport they dearly love.

“They are led by coach Siya Ntshuntsha and captain Chuma Jadezweni. It means a lot to us as a Clover brand. Some of our players were never exposed to SAFA competitions and now they have qualified two times in a row and will play against the best in the country,” said Ndyoko.

For more information about Clover FC, contact the club’s president, Songezi Ndyoko on 073 146 0751.