Hosts the University of Johannesburg were fortunate to escape with a shootout victory over the University of Free State, after their Varsity Hockey match had ended in a 2-2 tie, to complete the first leg of the men’s tournament on Monday.
Kovsies were inspired as they matched UJ throughout the 60 minutes of regulation time and their gutsy effort only ended with the last shootout attempt as Ryan Crowe succeeded but Michael Baiden did not to break another 2-2 deadlock.
UJ had opened the scoring in the 11th minute as Kyle Lion-Cachet, aligned on the left of the short-corner castle, fired a variation into the right-hand corner of goal.
But Kovsies kept creating chances for themselves, although they were a bit gun-shy in the circle, while UJ just seemed off their game and unable to find the killer passes up front, resulting in them hanging on to just the slender 1-0 lead right through to the final quarter.
And Kovsies then equalised in the 51st minute as Ryan Scheepers, who inspired so many of their attacks, crossed for Qhiyiya Jack to shoot home.
Unbelievably, UJ still could not lift themselves and Kovsies went 2-1 in front with just three minutes left in the game as a ball snuck through the hosts’ defences and reached Winray Christoffels, who turned and fired a beautiful shot into goal.
The defending champions were in grave danger of their first defeat of the tournament but, with the final minute of play beckoning, the ball was scrambled into the Kovsies goal by Amkelwa Letuka after Kingsley Botes’s shot had been half-saved.
UJ had the better of the shootout in the early stages as Gareth Heyns and Brynn Cleak both beat Lou-Frans Esterhuizen in goal, while the Kovsies duo of Jaco van der Watt and Brad Hensberg were overcome by Matthew Martins, the Southern Gauteng B goalkeeper.
The momentum shifted, however, as Esterhuizen saved the efforts by Gerald Mpopo and Taylor Dart, while Dylan Swanepoel and Christoffels scored slickly for the Free Staters.
The skilful Crow fired home the calmest of reverse-sticks shots on UJ’s final effort and Baiden lost control of the ball to give the defending champions the narrowest of wins.
The tournament now shifts to Stellenbosch for the second and last leg before the final with UJ clinging on to second place on the log, five behind Tuks on goal-difference.
Maties, the most impressive team over the last two days at UJ, are third, while Wits, the victims of an upset loss at the hands of UCT on Monday, are fourth.
Result:
UJ 2 (Kyle Lion-Cachet, Amkelwa Letuka)
Kovsies 2 (Qhiyiya Jack, Winray Christoffels)
Shootout:
UJ 3 (Gareth Heyns, Brynn Cleak, Ryan Crowe)
Kovsies 2 (Dylan Swanepoel, Winray Christoffels).
FNB Player of the Match: Dylan Swanepoel (Kovsies)
Mugg & Bean Star Saver: Loufrans Esterhuizen (Kovsies)
Samsung Super Striker: Amkelwa Letuka (UJ)
By Ken Borland
