South Africa has two new professional football clubs after Gauteng’s JDR All Stars and the Western Cape’s Steenberg United were promoted to the National First Division at the ABC Motsepe National Play-offs on Friday.
All Stars beat the Northern Cape’s Hungry Lions 3-0, while Steenberg netted a stoppage time winner to beat North West’s Casric FC 1-0 in the other semifinal.
Stars Boss Nditseni Nemasisi, who is at his third play-off finals, says he is incredibly proud of his team.
Nemasisi says that this is a big moment for him personally, and he is grateful for the support he has received as he tried to promote the club to the professional status.
Saturday’s final is set to be a repeat of the opening game of the tournament, where Steenberg beat Stars 4-3 in an exciting encounter, and Nemasisi says he always felt their group was the toughest.
Steenberg Assistant Coach Msuthu Ngwenya says he is incredibly proud of his team, who have been to play-offs three times in the last four years.
Athini Jodwana popped up in stoppage time to hand Steenberg a deserved win. Ngwenya says that is the time to score a winner.
Ngwenya is now expecting an exciting final against Stars and hopes it will be the perfect way to end the tournament.
The ABC Motsepe National Playoffs Final will be played at Erica Park on Saturday with kick off at 1pm.
90’ Steenberg Utd 0-0 Casric FC
3 additional minutes
JDR Stars 3-0 Hungry Lions
2 additional minutes #ABCMotsepePlayoffs pic.twitter.com/FKcsRyxfRj— Rob Delport (@FMSouthAfrica) June 7, 2019
Congratulations to the two new professional teams in South Africa!@jdrstarz and Steenberg Utd, who will meet in tomorrow’s#ABCMotsepePlayoffs final pic.twitter.com/4OwOCCLRaf
— Rob Delport (@FMSouthAfrica) June 7, 2019
– Report by Rob Delport
