David Rossouw
On Sunday 8 September the Dunoon youth competitions entertained supporters at the Dunoon Sports complex.
In the under-16 division, sixth place FC Mimosa took on Dunoon Celtic on the A-field. The game was scheduled for 11:40 but started late due to the referee arriving late.
While FC Mimosa took it slow, Dunoon Celtic passed the ball with short, quick passes and were unlucky with a couple of mistakes.
As the match progressed, FC Mimosa raised their level of play and caught Celtic off guard, scoring the first goal when striker Lukho Mbutuma netted his first of five goals in the match.
Mbutuma connected well with his midfielders Ima Ndevu and Asenathi Msuthu. With brilliant ball control and passing by Ndevu and Msuthu feeding speedster Mbutuma, he clocked in two more goals before the interval. Just before the break, Ndevu scored a brilliant goal from outside the penalty box to take their score to 4-0 at halftime.
After the restart, Coach Amos Siwayi’s team played with more flair and outplayed Dunoon Celtic in the midfield, with Khanyiso Macekiswana as the playmaker. His control and distribution of the ball were well-managed as he passed at the right moments to his sharpshooters.
Mbutuma scored two more goals in the second half to reach five in the match. Dunoon Celtic scored their first and only goal to break the zero.
Ndevu and Msuthu added two more goals to bring their total to eight goals in the match.
Coca Cola u-18 Cup Round 16
Dunoon’s last-standing under-18 team traveled early in the morning to the Rooikrans Sportsfield in Grassy Park to face Bayview of Mitchells Plain in a do-or-die Round 16 match of the SAFA Cape Town Coca Cola Cup.
Pioneer SC won the toss and decided to play the first half with the wind. Bayview scored first against the run of play, but Pioneer SC equalized minutes later.
“My team made a lot of unforced errors in the first half and allowed Bayview to take advantage and score their second goal. Although we had opportunities in the second half, we did not use the wind effectively and struggled to control the ball in the strong gusts,” coach Elvis Mbedzi said.
“This is a very young team, and I am proud of their achievements. They can still participate in next year’s event as many of the players are 16 and 17 years old. By next year, we will be much better, and I am looking forward to seeing how we progress,” Mbedzi added.
The dedication and passion displayed by the youth teams highlight the potential and promise of future stars in Dunoon football. The community continues to rally behind their young athletes, hopeful for many more memorable matches and triumphs in the seasons to come.