VPHS
Overall, Victoria Park ended fourth out of a field
of twenty top schools, which was no mean achievement. At least four of our players have been scouted by major universities and academies. Nkosinathi
Gcakasi was once again named “Goalkeeper of the
Tournament”. The award that brought our whole
team to their feet was that of ”Coach of the Tournament”, which went to our own esteemed and much
loved coach, Mr Ralton Leander.
team” game, in which the best eleven players identified at the tournament played against a team from
the Sharks Soccer Academy. Two other Victoria
Park players, captain Lonwabo Balfour and midfielder Keenan Jacobs, were also chosen for this
prestigious team.
Our Victoria Park team beat Kearsney College, Durban Academy and Carter High School from Pietermaritzburg in the round robin section, and so ended top of the group without conceding a goal. This
tournament uses the World Cup format of thirty-two
teams divided into eight groups. The round of sixteen saw us pitted against Glenwood Boys High,
whom we beat 2 – 1. After beating Empangeni High
in the quarter final, we came to face Brebner High,
our old rivals from Bloemfontein, in the semi-final.
This hard-fought match ended goalless. In the ensuing penalty shoot-out, Victoria Park shared the
agony of the Netherlands in Brazil when we lost on
a sudden-death penalty. Brebner went on to win the
tournament. Victoria Park was, however, awarded
the trophy for “Team of the Tournament”, which is
awarded to the team with the best spirit, discipline
and overall performance.
Dr Joan Clarke
The Nedbank / Grey College Soccer Tournament
After a successful tour to Durban, our young players
were ready and eager to end their season with a big
“splash” in Bloemfontein. It was a difficult tournament in many ways. In the words of Dr Robin Peterson of SAFA, the line-up featured 20 of the country’s
top school soccer teams. It was a long tournament,
with the teams playing seven full-length matches in
four days, in temperatures exceeding 30 degrees.
On the first day, VP started well by beating George
Campbell High School 5 – 1 and Tsotseletso High
from Bloemfontein 2 – 0. On the second day, our
boys beat Jeppe High from Johannes 'W&r"( 2F