The previous winners of the men’s and women’s Varsity Football tournaments will feature on a giant banner at Tuks Stadium during the 2021 edition.
Here’s how the men’s titles were won …
2013 – TUKS
The inaugural Varsity Football tournament took South African football by storm and unearthed new talent.
Tuks claimed the first title with an emphatic 4-1 victory over the Madibaz in the cup final.
While Tuks won the battle on the field of play, the Madibaz won the hearts of neutrals. They played entertaining football, but ran out of gas in the final against an experienced Tuks outfit.
Future Marumo Gallants and Bafana Bafana star Thabo Mnyamane burst onto the scene in the colours of NWU. He also grabbed the FNB Player of the Tournament award and the Golden Boot after scoring seven goals.
Tuks had exciting players such as Mbongeni Masilele, TUT’s lanky forward Botshelo Mfulwane impressed, and Niven Kops was at the heart of the Madibaz’s fairy-tale run with five goals.
2014 – TUKS
Tuks defended their Varsity Football title with a 1-0 win in the cup final against UJ. Both sports minister Fikile ‘Razzmatazz’ Mbalula and former Bafana Bafana coach Shake Mashaba were in attendance.
Tuks’ danger man Jeremiah Nkwana dictated the terms in the middle of the park and won the Golden Boot after scoring five goals, including one from a brilliant free-kick in the final at UJ’s Soweto campus that was worthy of winning the competition.
UJ were brilliant during the league stage, finishing top of the log with 13 points after seven matches. However, they learned that football can be a cruel game when they conceded 15 minutes from time in the final in front of their supporters.
UJ skipper Grant Bruchhausen won the FNB Player of the Tournament award.
2015 – UWC
Who could stop Tuks from capturing their third successive title? TUT provided the answer, although it was UWC who lifted the trophy.
UWC did not rely on individual brilliance, but were an excellent unit. They won the tournament on the back of an impressive home record, with their stadium being nicknamed the ‘Operation Room’ as they ‘operated’ on visiting teams and left them for dead.
UWC beat Wits 4-2 in a nerve-wracking penalty shootout after their semi-final had finished in a goalless draw, while Tuks’ reign ended with a 4-1 penalty shootout loss to TUT.
Led by FNB Player of the Tournament Thulani Nkosi, UWC were not to be denied their maiden title, coming back from a goal down to upset TUT, the favourites, 2-1 in the cup final at the ‘Operation Room’.
2016 – TUT
Having let the trophy slip from their grasp the previous year, TUT redeemed themselves in 2016 when they clinched their maiden Varsity Football title.
An incredible atmosphere at TUT, created by firecrackers and the singing of ‘Shosholoza’, inspired them to a 2-1 win against UJ in the cup final.
CUT had a season to remember as they finished in second place after the league stage, but they suffered a 4-1 penalty shootout defeat to UJ after their semi-final had ended 1-1. TUT defeated NWU 4-3 on penalties in the other semi.
CUT’s Orapeleng Manopole won the FNB Player of the Tournament award, while TUT’s Jacob Hlalele finished with seven goals and the Golden Boot.
2017 – TUKS
The 2017 cup final between TUT and Tuks ended six minutes from time after TUT supporters could not stomach a 2-0 defeat against their bitter rivals and began throwing missiles onto the pitch. It overshadowed what had until then been an excellent tournament.
While the two teams had drawn their earlier encounter 1-1 and TUT had gone through the league stage unbeaten, Tuks dominated a cup final that ended in chaos. The police fired rubber bullets to restore order, while busses, cars and property were vandalised. The Tuks players had to receive their winner’s medals and the trophy in the dressing room.
TUT striker Themba Ndlovu won the FNB Player of the Tournament award and shared the Golden Boot with Tuks’ Odwa Makha (seven goals each).
2018 – TUT
It was a case of so near, yet so far for Wits in 2018. The Educated Ones could not defend a lead in the cup final against TUT and conceded a late goal to suffer a heart-breaking 2-1 defeat.
Tshireletso Motsogi scored first for Wits, before FNB Player of the Tournament Godfrey Mahlala equalised for TUT. Collen Vilakazi then did a smash-and-grab three minutes into added time to snatch the win for TUT.
TUT had defeated Tuks 1-0 in in a tightly contested Tshwane derby semi-final, while Wits – who had finished fourth on the log – overcame top-of-the-log UJ 4-3 on penalties.
UJ’s talented winger and Mathematics Science student Mokete Mogaila breathed life into the tournament and his five goals won him the Golden Boot.
2019 – NWU
The best team not to have won the Varsity Football tournament finally ended their drought, albeit in controversial circumstances.
NWU defeated nine-man TUT 1-0 in the cup final after Thuso Mlamla and skipper Rorisang Rapelang both received red cards.
TUT coach Bushy Moloi claimed his team had been robbed, while Karabo ‘Sensei’ Masehla, the youngest Varsity Football coach at 29, celebrated with NWU.
Lindani Nkabinde, the FNB Player of the Tournament, scored the decisive goal in front of NWU’s supporters in Mafikeng. UWC’s Jaydan Petersen was the top goal-scorer in the tournament with four.
Note: The 2020 tournament did not take place due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
By Charles Baloyi
