Courtesy: Rising Sun Overport


eThekwini City on top of their game

eThekwini City travelled to Gauteng in what would seem their sternest test to date. Most of the players in the national team are based in Gauteng.

October 31, 2016

The 2016 Futsal League commenced in January with a derby match between eThekwini City and PMB Hotspurs and to the amazement of the entire country eThekwini City thumped Hotspurs 11-2.

And the following week destroyed the national champions, Young Natalians four nil. Was that a fluke or did the local lads just get lucky? These were the questions on the minds of Futsal lovers around the country. Today, 10 months down the line, eThekwini City have played 10 league matches and is the only team in the national league that is unbeaten.

To date the eThekwini machine has scored 87 goals and conceded just 20. Two weeks ago, the local lads returned from Cape Town with six points after defeating Western Province Eagles 7-3 and the following day beat Cape Town Titans 8-2. Last weekend, eThekwini City travelled to Gauteng in what would seem their sternest test to date. Most of the players in the national team are based in Gauteng.

On Friday night, eThekwini City took on the mighty Tshwane City. The local lads stuck to their task with great determination and a fantastic team spirit. The final score was 8-4 and another three valuable points were made for eThekwini City. On Saturday, the clash of the Titans was on the cards at the Azadville Recreation Centre where the local lads were up against OBC from the Free State.

Gift Mashaba, the national team captain, together with other players that were in the national set up were going to cause some serious problems to the local lads. Also in the OBC line was the skillful Mark Haskins, strike master Rafique Hassim and experienced goalkeeper, Jaryd Davis. The eThekwini Boys knew that only a solid performance against one of the most experienced teams in the country is the only way they could see a positive result.

The match started off at a blistering pace and the eThekwini machine found the net within 50 seconds. Within 10 minutes, the Durban boys were six nil up and in complete control of the match. All the experience possessed by the national players in the OBC team were no match for the determined, super fit, and skillful eThekwini players. The half time score of nine nil clearly demonstrates proceedings on the night.

The mere thought of gaining maximum points to ensure that the Durban Boys win the National Futsal League was enough motivation to give OBC the defeat of their lives. The final score of 14 nil tells the full story. Of greater significance is the fact that seven players contributed to the scoring, which clearly indicates that the team is not dependent on just one or two players to score.

The versatility of players in their squad ensures that all players are capable of defending or scoring as and when required. This Saturday, October 29, eThekwini City take on the defending champions Young Natalians in what is essentially the league decider.

The match is scheduled to take place at UKZN Westville at 1:30pm. Young Natalians need to win this encounter to keep any hopes alive of clinching the league title while eThekwini City merely need a point to win the National Futsal League. Entrance to UKZN Westville is free and all Futsal enthusiasts are requested to watch this mighty duel right at our doorstep.


Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com