ze comb-over

So with the 2012/13 soccer season officially over, and everybody reviewing player and team performances, i thought i'd do a little reviewing of my own and give my highlights and standout performances of the season, but when looking back i realized that my highlight of the 2012/13 season wasn't a spectacular goal, a lovely bit of trickery or even an amazing performance from a goalkeeper, my highlight for the season had to be the comb-over, yes, the comb-over.

Some might see the comb-over as just another hairstyle that did rounds this season, but there just seemed to be something special about the players who donned the hairstyle this season, almost as if the comb-over had some sort of power, like it elevated their playing style to a new level, like Goku going super saiyan.

So before you dismiss my comb-over theory as utter rubbish, look at a Borussia Dortmund, finishing second in the Bundesliga and making it all the way to the champions league final this season, their success, spearheaded by their front three Robert Lewendowski, Marco Reus and Mario Gotze, who beside being extremely talented, all had one thing in common this season, yes you've guessed it, ze comb-over!

still not convinced there's power in the comb-over, lets look at the premier league, more specifically Gareth Bale, the 23 year old arguably single-handedly carried Tottenham Hotspurs to fifth position in the EPL this season, with consistent performances and not to mention a series of breathtaking goals. Bale walked away with both PFA young player of the year, aswell as PFA player's player of the year, wanna guess what hairstyle Bale had this season?   

The comb-overs power didn't stop at 'increasing talent', it seemed increased playing longevity and added somewhat of a calming effect to some players, David Beckham sported the comb-over this season,the 38 year old signed for PSG in January and got to play Champions League football before retiring at the end of the season, and Joey Barton had the comb-over aswell and it seemed the hairstyle kept him 'out of trouble' in France, were he was on loan to Marseille

so again, my season highlight wasn't a goal or a save, but a hairstyle, a hairstyle which given all the 'facts' seemed to have some sort of power this season. Maybe the reason the PSL lacked that extra bit of quality this season is because the comb-over was missing, but then again we cant blame the players for that haha.

The Liverpool debacle

Eighteen time English league and five time UEFA champions league winners, Liverpool Football Club, were due to make post-season stop in Cape Town this month, were they were scheduled to play Ajax Cape Town on the 21st at Cape Town stadium.

The City of Cape Town as well as Liverpool Football Club released official statements on the 6th of may, confirming that Ajax Cape Town would host Liverpool in once off friendly match, which would take place on the 21st of May. The news sent South African Liverpool fans into a state of euphoria, 'pool fans all over the country began looking and booking flights and accommodation in and around Cape Town in the dates surrounding the match day. The euphoria however was short lived when days after the official announcement , the Premier Soccer League put a halt to proceedings, saying the match could not go on because it was scheduled to be played while the PSL season was still ongoing, another reason cited was the fear that the Liverpool match would take away from the glamour of the Nedbank cup which would've been played four days later. Ajax went on to appeal the decision made by the PSL, but their appeal was unsuccessful to have the match played on the 21st, the PSL however were willing to allow the match to be played on the 26th of May.

The news of the 'cancellation' sent fans into a state of confusion, as there was no clear communication from either the City of Cape Town or the Premier Soccer League on weather the match would be played on the 26th or if it would be cancelled indefinitely. The lack of communication went on for days, leaving fans frustrated and annoyed, to this day some fans still believe the English Giants will be in the country on the 21st.

The City of Cape Towns' Mayoral Committee member for Tourism,Events and marketing ,councillor Grant Pascoe finally shed some light on what will forever be seen as one of the biggest failures in the city's events history, when earlier today he released the following statement,Pascoe said:

"Ajax Cape Town FC, in good faith, negotiated with the South African Football Association (SAFA), and Liverpool FC with the English Football Association for permission for the match to take place. Permission from both these bodies was granted. The City is inclusive and would consider any and all such proposals from other Cape based teams.

In a letter from SAFA to the CEO of the Premier Soccer League (PSL), SAFA states “we are therefore granting your club permission to participate in this International Friendly Match, provided they comply with FIFA regulations governing international matches and that FIFA responds favourably to the application.”

Based on this positive correspondence,­ the City continued engagements with Liverpool FC and with arrangements for the game to take place.

There are no guidelines or regulations for PSL teams or external organisations to follow that govern these arrangements. It is purely on a case by case basis. To the city’s knowledge no prior applications have been refused before this one. After extensive consultations, including trying to find an alternate date, a solution could not be found to suit all concerned.

The City of Cape Town remains committed to making Cape Town the events, particularly the sporting events, capital of South Africa and the broader African continent. (optional) It is the City’s position that the reputational damage lies with the PSL, as even their sponsors have actively distanced themselves from the decision taken. The City will not be deterred or deflated by this obstacle and is actively negotiating several other sporting events to bring to the people of Cape Town."      

Gerrard was set to miss the tour, due an upcoming shoulder injury

The statement provides some clarity regarding the cancelled tour, but why the PSL weren't consulted during negotiations is beyond me!

This unfortunate situation will leave a bitter taste in South African Liverpool fans mouth for years to come, let's hope the city steer clear of any future mishaps by going through the proper channels in any future attempt to bring a European football time to the beautiful city that is Cape Town.

Ajax vs Kaizer Chiefs

The Table topping Amakhosi make their way to Cape Town on Wednesday, Where they'll face an out-of-form Ajax Cape Town side.

Kaizer Chiefs have lost only one league match all season, and are six points clear of second place Platinum Stars, their opponents on the other hand have lost 13 and won only 5 of their 27 league matches this campaign, the poor league performance see's the Cape side languishing near the foot of the table and only point clear of the relegation zone.

Historically Chiefs haven't found Cape Town to be a happy hunting ground, the Sowetan giants last picked up 3 points against Ajax in the Mother City when they comprehensively beat them 3-0 in 2009.

Ajax need to beat the 'glamour boys' on Wednesday, with only 3 games left of the season and being only one point above the relegation zone, they'll have to win all of their remaining matches to ensure they maintain their PSL status next season.    

competition

Want to win tickets to Wednesday's match? I've got 5 sets of double tickets to  giveaway! All you have to do is follow me on twitter @jasonpascoe and tell me what the score was in the corresponding fixture earlier in the season and use the hashtag "#AjaxCT" to stand a chance of winning.

competition closes Wednesday 1st May at 11 am

*all entrants must be from Cape Town and must be able to collect the tickets themselves

Also tickets can be bought at any Checkers and Computicket outlets, aswell at Cape Town Stadiums ticket office and Ajax's fan store at their Ikamva headquaters

The Bucs are coming to town!

The mighty Buccaneers sail into Cape Town on Wednesday, for what promises to be a scintillating encounter against a struggling Ajax Cape Town side.

Pirates and Ajax are at opposites ends of the PSL table, one fighting for the league title and the other desperately trying to avoid the relegation zone, which makes Wednesdays match a must win for both teams.

Ajax will be looking to continue the form they showed when playing against Free State Stars on Sunday which saw the Cape side clinch their first win since November last year and more importantly helped them leave the danger of the relegation zone! Amabhakabhaka will look to end their run of three consecutive draws which saw them fall further behind their Sowetan neighbors in the race for the PSL title.

With both teams having it all to play for, this mid-week encounter promises to keep fans on the edge of their seats for the full 90 minutes. 

competition

Want to win tickets to Wednesday's match? I've got 5 sets of double tickets to  giveaway! All you have to do is follow me on twitter @jasonpascoe and tell me your favourite Ajax Cape Town player and use the hashtag 'AjaxCT' "#AjaxCT" to stand a chance of winning.

competition closes Wednesday 10 April at 11 am

*all entrants must be from Cape Town and must be able to collect the tickets themselves

 

 

Also tickets can be bought at any Checkers and Computicket outlets, aswell at Cape Town Stadiums ticket office and Ajax's fan store at their Ikamva headquaters

       

Urban Warriors march to victory!

Ajax Cape town's u19 team were once again crowned Metropolitan Premier Cup champions after a nail-biting final, which saw the Urban Warriors beat a tactically sound Berea Albion outfit. 

The fist half saw the Cape side really show their class, by controlling possession, elegantly moving the ball around the field and persistently putting Berea's goal under threat, Ajax's persistence finally paid off when a ball through to frontman Tashreeq Harris saw him wriggle free from his marker and calmly slot home from inside the box. Albion made a substitute soon after the goal and brought on central midfielder Daniel Viera, the substitution proved to be a stroke of genius when having played barely 5 minutes Viera scored Berea's equalizer  the Ajax defense was nowhere to be found. The first half ended 1-1

The second half started off with a moment of confusion, lack of communication between Ajax captain Abubaker Mobara and goalkeeper Brandon Peterson lead to Berea Albions second goal, Peterson rushing out of his box to deal with a through ball which had gone through his defense did not see on coming central defender Mobara, with both players going for the ball and communication being absent, the two collided, leaving the goals wide open for Sege Gado to score an easy tap in. Their second goal gave them a confidence boost and suddenly Berea were having spells of sustained possession and started taking the game to the Urban Warriors, Ajax however showed resilience and with 14 minutes left on the clock substitute Olwethu Maloyi got them the equalizer.the half ended 2-2 which meant the match would go to extra time.

Extra time saw both teams really give everything they had in search for a match winning goal, but clear signs of fatigue were being shown by the youngsters who were playing their seventh game in just six days. Extra time ended with no goal being scored, So the winner of the Metropolitan Premier Cup would be decided by the dreaded penalty shootout.

Ajax were clinical in the shootout missing none of their five penalties, Berea only needed to convert their fifth penalty to take the shootout to sudden death, but Ajax Goalkeeper Brandon Peterson had other ideas and pulled off an outstanding match winning save, which saw Ajax crowned MPC champions for the fifth time in their history.

The Urban Warriors fully deserved the title, having toppled giants African Soccer Developments(ASD),Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns en-route to the final.

Road to the final

round robin

Ajax 7-0 Belhar Spurs

Ajax 2-1 Harmony Academy

Ajax 1-0 Atlantis Leeds

Last 16

Ajax 1-0 ASD CT

Quarterfinals

Ajax 1-0 Kaizer Chiefs

Semi-finals

Ajax 0(3) -0(1) Sundowns (match went to penalties)

Finals

Ajax 2(5)-2(4) Berea Albion (match went to penalties)

The Cape Town experience

Saturday saw Cape Town play host to Bafana Bafana's, must win, 2014 World Cup qualifier match against the Central African Republic.Soccer loving capetonians were out in numbers to witness the rarity that is seeing their national team play in the Mother City.

The must win encounter saw Igesand start with a very offensive line-up, with Parker and Rantie leading the attack, the first 20 minutes of the match almost saw Igesand's decision pay off, with Bafana coming agonizing close to scoring on four occasions, but poor finishing left the scoreline at 0-0.With the frontmen unable to convert their chances, the 33rd minute of the game saw defender Thabo Matlaba take matters into his own hands and score an absolute screamer from just inside the opposition half.

Barely Minutes after Matlaba's wonder strike, Bafana's holding midfielder Dean 'mlungu' Furman was forced off the field off play after a clash of heads left the player with a cut above the eye and a bruised nose, Furman was rushed to hospital to receive stitches, but the Bafana camp confirmed that the he had not sustained any serious injury.Kagiso Dikgacoi replaced the injured Furman.The first half ended with the hosts leading 1-0.

The second half started exactly the way the first ended, with South Africa controlling possession and spending prolonged periods in the opposition half, with all that being said the 54th minute played host to controversy when CAR's Romaric Liganzi 'scored' a goal while clearly using his hand to get the ball in the back of the net, the referee Kalyango Ali awarded the goal, which infuriated Bafana captain Itumeleng Khune, khune immediately ran to the linesman and began remonstrating, he was soon joined by his team mates,  and bizarrely and to CAR coach Herve Loungoundji's dismay the goal was 

overturned! Once again African officials are put in the limelight for all the wrong reasons, CAF needs to do some serious introspection which regards to refereeing amongst other things!

Like the first half South Africa created a multitude of chances but poor finishing let them down, they did how ever add to their tally in the 71st minute when Bernard Parker latched on to Siphewe Tshabalala's pass and calmly netted home from inside the box.

The match ended 2-0 much to the pleasure and relieve of Bafana coach Gordon Igesund. 

Let's hope Bafana Bafana enjoyed the Cape Town experience, which saw the 'rainbow nation' out in full force to support our boys in green and gold, and bring more of their matches to the world class Cape Town Stadium.

Hats off to the City of Cape Town's events team for the excellent marketing of the match, which saw just over 38 000 tickets sold for the clash, and incredible feat considering Cape Towns Super Rugby franchise the Stormers were playing at Newlands at the same time.

photo by Matlhoma Morake

      

Now that Benni's gone, who's in the 18 area?

A striker, a goal scorer, a finisher, someone to put the ball in the back of the net, something that's been missing from South African football in recent years. South Africa's inability to score goals has not only seen the country crash out of major tournaments but has more recently also seen them fail to qualify for these tournaments.

South Africa's lack of a goal scorer upfront was most noticeable in this years African Cup of Nations, where the sides top goal scorer was central defender Siyabonga Sangweni, the defender scored two crucial goals, both coming in the group stage of the tournament, which helped Bafana qualify for the quater-finals, where again lack of finishing and poor decision making from their front men saw bafana knocked out by a Seydou Keita lead Mali.

Bafana's current group of strikers, Bernard Parker, Tokelo Rantie, Lehlohonolo Majoro and Dino Ndlovu, aren't known for being prolific goal scorers, however youngsters Rantie(22) and Ndlovu(23) have been in impressing form for their clubs recent times, and with only 13 Bafana caps between the two and long playing careers ahead of them, there's high hopes that they will be the ones to end bafana's goal scoring woes.

The countries failure to produce a quality frontmen has been evident in the Premier Soccer League, in the last 8 seasons the golden boot has been won by a foreign national 5 times (Collins Mbesuma, Chris Katongo, Knowledge Musona, Mame Niang and James Chamanga)!

The last quality striker to come through South Africa's ranks was Cape Town born Benedict "Benni" McCarthy, the centre-forward had stints at several European clubs, most notably FC Porto 

where under the guidance of Jose Mourinho, Benni became the First South African to lift the

UEFA Champions League. 'Benni' also picked up a golden boot award while at Porto and in

2006 the striker left Portugal to play in the Barclays Premier League for then Premier league team

Blackburn Rovers, in his first season for Rovers he scored a staggering 18 league goals

finishing as the second highest scorer in the league that season.

McCarthy has been capped 80 times for Bafana Bafana and is the national teams all time leading

goal scorer with 31 goals.Benni now 35 and heading for retirement, was arguably South Africa's best footballing export and will Undoubtedly go down as a Bafana legend.

So now that Benni's gone, who's gonna fill the void in the 18 area?  

This year Bafana Bafana have played 7 matches and scored a total of 7 goals, conceding only 4, (sounds good so far), however they failed to score in three of those matches, and only won two of the six encounters,drawing three and losing two.