Fort Hare may not have been able to get over the line in their Nedbank Cup last-32 qualifier but their superb run in the competition has given them plenty of confidence going into this year’s USSA football tournament.
They were beaten 0-3 by ABC Motsepe League side Mighty Eagles in Alice on Saturday, ending their quest to make the main draw of South African football’s elite knockout challenge.
Though disappointed not to emerge triumphant, the players have already dusted themselves off and are gearing up for the University Sports South Africa tournament in Kimberley from December 2 to 6.
They are keenly aware that doing well under the sweltering Northern Cape sun will see them returning to Varsity Football a year after failing to make the cut for the 2024 competition.
Coach Mongile Nyosana said his players had accepted the weekend’s loss and shifted their focus to the USSAs.
“The mood is upbeat because the chance to play in Varsity Football means a lot to students,” he said.
“[Losing] happens in the game. We are still super proud of what we did [in the Nedbank Cup].”
The Fort Hare mentor said they would try to reach the same stage next year in their follow-up bid to make the last 32.
Fort Hare striker Zongeziwe Mkhathini, who proved a menace for opposing defences during the Nedbank Cup qualifiers, will look to repeat the dose at the USSAs in Kimberley. Photo: Full Stop Communications
His positivity is not without foundation.
The team won their Nedbank regional and provincial qualifiers before bowing out to Eagles. It was a journey that left them confident in their ability as a unit.
On two occasions they held their nerve in tense penalty shootouts, which will no doubt stand them in good stead should they find themselves in the same situation at the elite national tertiary tournament.
Fort Hare are pooled with UP-Tuks, CPUT and CUT.
They drew 1-1 with the perennially-fancied Pretoria outfit last year, a result they hope to repeat or better in Kimberley. They have every chance of doing so coming off a tough competition like the Nedbank Cup.
However, Nyosana and his men will not take their other opponents lightly.
“It’s difficult to play underdogs because you don’t know much about them. It’s hard to come up with plans when you don’t know how they play.”
The big plus for Fort Hare is that they will enter the competition with exactly the same squad that did duty in the Cup.
Nyosana said word in student football circles was that the Eastern Cape team were in great form and opponents were asking a lot of questions about their style of play and strengths in defence.
The Alice students have set themselves the goal of bringing home the silverware.
A high ambition it may be, but Nyosana is convinced he has more than enough quality in his ranks to achieve it.
“We won’t be doing anything different to what we have been doing. You can’t change what is working well. You [just] have to keep progressing.”