Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Magqwaka awaits chance
Ajax starlet looks ahead to Bafana camp but longs to play Sundowns wary of minnows Tuks as Telkom Knockout gets under way
AYABULELA MAGQWAKA embodies the new direction and bold vision the SA Football Association ( Safa) has embarked on.
The 18-year-old Ajax Cape Town central defender has been thrust into the spotlight by his sudden and unexpected selection for Bafana Bafana, even though he is not a regular with his club.
Ajax take on Mpumalanga Black Aces in a first- round Telkom Knockout Cup tie at the Cape Town Stadium tomorrow afternoon ( 3pm) – and Magqwaka is again unlikely to feature in the starting team. Coach Roger de Sa is, in fact, more keen on playing him in today’s MultiChoice Diski Challenge ( Reserve League) match against Kaizer Chiefs at Ikamva in Parow (12pm).
The teenager, though, pulled up at training this week and a decision still has to be made on his availability for today or tomorrow.
De Sa said the medical staff were treating the player carefully, especially because he was due to link up with the Bafana squad next week for the upcoming two Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers Brazzaville.
Safa has made it clear that it wants continuity between the national junior teams and Bafana. For too long, it believes, talented junior players have gone astray and not progressed to the senior national side. With their appointment of Shakes Mashaba as head coach, a man who has spent many years in the national junior coaching structures, the idea was always that Safa wanted to fast-track some of the country’s precocious footballers.
Magqwaka is an example of this vision. He has played at national under-17 level and he is the current SA under-20 captain. He has just led the under20s to qualification for the African Junior Championships.
“That qualification was a real big thing, not just for me but for everybody in the under20 squad,” said Magqwaka.
“Many of us had been in the previous under-17 squad that missed out on qualification. So, when we got to the under-20s, we knew we wanted to change that. We didn’t want to be disappointed and sit with broken hearts again. We worked hard, set our objectives, and got what we wanted to achieve.”
against
Congo
Magqwaka is from Gugulethu, attended Goodwood Park Primary School, and finished his education at Reddam House.
He started his playing career at his father’s township football club, Cultural Roots, before a short spell at under-9 level at Vasco da Gama. By the age of 10, he had been taken up in the Ajax youth academy – and he has worked his way through the age groups into the PSL squad.
The young defender admits that lack of game time at Ajax has been frustrating. He is struggling to get into the team. Defenders Rivaldo Coetzee, Abbubaker Mobara and Nazeer Allie are all first-choice selections for De Sa. Waiting in the wings is the regular captain, the experienced Dominic Isaacs, who, since returning from injury, has battled to get back in. Only after those four, it would seem, would Magqwaka come into the reckoning.
Patience needs to be the teenager’s motto right now, but he finds it hard and is battling to cope with the frustration. He has already been to other clubs in the PSL, in the hope of landing a transfer.
“It has been frustrating,” said Magqwaka. “I’m young and all I want to do is play football. The lack of game time at Ajax caused me to try some other clubs. I was at Wits and Sundowns, but for various reasons things never worked out. But I’m at Ajax now and still committed. I’m working hard and I’ll just have to wait. At least, with the Diski Challenge, there’s a better chance of me getting some regular football, until I get my chance in the PSL team.”
When asked about next week’s Bafana camp and the trip to Pointe Noire in the Congo, Magqwaka’s face lit up. He couldn’t contain his excitement.
“The call-up to Bafana was a life-changer for me,” he said. “Even though things haven’t been going my way at club level, where I haven’t played much, I was still considered good enough for the senior national team. That’s great for confidence and for the belief in my ability.
“I can’t wait to link up with the Bafana guys again. These are players I watch on television every week and just to be with them, and bond with such footballers, is a dream come true for me.” MAMELODI SUNDOWNS defender Ramahlwe Mphahlele says drawing the University of Pretoria in the opening round of the Telkom Knockout is cause for concern for the defending Premiership champions.
“If there’s one club we as Sundowns hate playing against, it’s Tuks. Whenever they play against us, they just look different,” Mphahlele said. “They run the whole 90 minutes. They can run for 120 minutes.
“They have nothing to lose, they’re going to push us around and it’s going to be a difficult game, that’s what we are anticipating.”
Sundowns host AmaTuks at Loftus Versfeld today in one of eight Knockout fixtures on offer this weekend, as the second cup competition of the season gets under way.
A Pretoria derby that has traditionally produced some thrilling action, the cross-town rivals will square off for a sixth time in the country’s top-flight, though Sundowns are unbeaten in all five previous meetings.
Mphahlele
has
fond memories of Tuks. The former South Africa under-23 skipper spent a season on loan under coach Steve Barker in 2012/13 and quickly emerged as a key component to a University side` that finished that season in the top eight, in their first stint in` the Premiership.
Mphahlele was sent on loan by then-coach Johan Neeskens, who deemed the defender surplus to requirements.
The 24-year-old looked set to sign a permanent deal with Tuks, but that was before new boss Pitso Mosimane recalled him to the Brazilians and rekindled the player’s career, using him for the entirety of last season.
“When you play against Sundowns, Orlando Pirates or Kaizer Chiefs, I know the boys (Tuks) are fired up for sure,” the right-back said. “They play to impress. I’ve played against Tuks as a Sundowns player and knowing Barker, he’s going to motivate them.”
In today’s other games, Kaizer Chiefs host Maritzburg United for a second time in a week.
Unbeaten in all 11 of their fixtures so far and newlycrowned MTN8 champions, Chiefs are already being touted as potential Knockout champions.
Amakhosi walked away 1-0 winners last weekend at FNB Stadium thanks to a Mandla Masango penalty on the stroke of half-time in an evenly-contested tie, which would have given coach Steve Komphela some much- needed insight ahead of this weekend’s cup meeting.
Elsewhere, AmaZulu welcome Bloemfontein Celtic and SuperSport United entertain Free State Stars.
The latter two have already met this season in a league clash.
SuperSport led 2-1 in the 84th minute, but a quick-fire double from Stars somehow saw United lose the game 3-2 in the space of 10 second- half minutes.
United have a new coach after struggling Cavin Johnson was sacked in favour of former Bafana Bafana coach and fourtime Premiership champion, Gordon Igesund.
Igesund is yet to put a foot wrong and has won two-out-oftwo games since taking charge a month ago.
Also today, defending champions, Platinum Stars face Chippa United. – Sapa THERE’S new energy and belief at Vasco da Gama.
The Parow-based National First Division (NFD) club has struggled since being relegated from the PSL in 2011, but now that it is under new ownership, there is ambition again.
Vasco announced a partnership with Portuguese top-flight team Vitória de Guimarães this week – and they think this is the first step in elevating the Parow club.
The Cape side is under the direction of new majority shareholder Mario Ferreira, who is also involved at Vitória de Guimarães.
The other shareholders still involved at Vasco are the Das Neves brothers – Carlos, Mario and Paolo, all ex-professional footballers.
“We want to attract the best talent in the Cape area by partnering with a club of Vitória de Guimarães’ stature,” said Ferreira.
“We believe the Vasco development set-up has been given a massive boost.
“Previously, young players
NFD fixtures
Today Jomo Cosmos v Golden Arrows; Witbank Spurs v FC Cape Town; Vasco da Gama v Black Leopards (Parow Park, 3.30pm); Baroka FC v Milano United Tomorrow Maluti FET College v Highlands Park may have joined Vasco’s youth with the dream of making the first team, playing in the NDF and possibly the PSL, but they now have a new ceiling. They can now aspire to reaching the top level in Europe too.”
Vasco are in NFD action this afternoon when they host Black Leopards at Parow Park (3.30pm) – and they have an opportunity to put their newfound spirit of ambition and enthusiasm into practice.
The club has made a great start to the new season. They are yet to lose and are in third position on the NFD standings.
The other Cape NFD sides involved today will see log leaders FC Cape Town in Mpumalanga take on Witbank Spurs, while second- placed Milano United are in Limpopo to take on Baroka FC.