Ahead of their first home match of the 2019 Varsity Football season, UKZN captain, Lungani Nhlengethwa, has backed his team’s supporters to give ‘The Impi’ the lift they need. Mpendulo Letsoalo reports.
UKZN’s second Varsity Football season began with an unfavourable result, after the men from KwaZulu-Natal succumbed to a 2-1 defeat against the purple army of NWU.
It is often said that there are three crucial moments in a football match that require high concentration. Firstly, the early minutes of game then the moments after scoring a goal and, finally, the closing stages of the match. UKZN learnt the importance of these crucial moments the hard way in Mafikeng, after being exposed in the first and the dying minutes of the match.
Captain Lungani Nhlengethwa couldn’t hide his disappointment about having to return home having let a log point slip from their grasp.
“We went to NWU to represent KwaZulu-Natal, friends, family and most importantly UKZN…” explained Nhlengethwa.
“We defended well as a unit, and it was unfortunate to concede in the last two minutes of added time,” he went on to lament.
The defeat in Mafikeng meant that ‘The Impi’ have now suffered back to back defeats against NWU following the 2-0 beating they received in last years’ encounter in Pietermaritzburg.
However, Nhlengethwa and his teammates are determined to change the narrative in their upcoming matches starting with their Round 2 clash against CUT in the early kickoff (16:00) in Durban.
Despite UKZN’s opening setback, the Empangeni-born skipper is confident of a win and has warned CUT of the well-known and intimidating ‘12th man’ support UKZN have at home. While their on-field exploits were underwhelming in 2018, the gees at the matches was anything but.
“We just have to keep on playing well as a team and most importantly to win the game against CUT,” Nhlengethwa says ahead of the CUT clash.
“We will have the full support of our supporters as the 12th man,” he added.
While Thursday’s clash will be the first in Varsity Football between the two varsities it was not that long ago that they met – drawing 1-1 during the 2017 USSA tournament in Johannesburg.
That’s history though, and with both teams having lost their opening matches of 2019 much will be at stake. UKZN will be hoping to use their home ground – and crowd – as a trump card, but will know that they have to overcome two-time semifinalists to do so and kick-start their camapign.
UKZN’s Varsity Football squad: *1. Thandolwakhe Radebe (goalkeeper), *2. Thabiso Nhlengethwa, *3. Siphesihle Sokhela, 4. Lungani Nhlengethwa (captain), *5. Mvelo Madonsela, *6. Mzwandile Mkhize, 7. Nkosinathi Sibeko, 8. Lungelo Dube, *9. Bongumenzi Mkhize, 10. Mfan’fikile Dlamini, 11. Khumbulani Mbokazi, *12. Bhekabambo Mkhize, *13. Bheka Ncube, *14. Sonqoba Shezi, 15. Sifundo Nkosi, *16. Thobani Maseko, *17. Eugene Mkhize, 18. Ziyanda Ndlovu, 19. Thabani Dlamini (goalkeeper), 20. Banele Kubeka (goalkeeper), *21. Siphelele Mbewana, *22. Busiswa Sibiya, 23. Siboniso Ndlovu, 24. Nkosinathi Sosibo, 25. Siphamandla Sosibo, 26. Lungisani Shange, *27. Mlondi Ngcobo, *28. Mthobisi Mathaba [*new for 2019]
