The Ace Khuse coached Kaizer Chiefs u-19 team finished a commendable third place on Sunday, at the conclusion of the twenty team SuperSport U-19 youth Cup which began on the 9th August and concluded this past Sunday in Pimville in Soweto.

Khuse’s team placed first in their group and cruised into the quarterfinals where they defeated Orlando Pirates 4-2 on penalty kicks, to set up a semifinal clash on Sunday with the defending Champions Ajax Cape Town. For all their dominance in the semifinal’s the young Amakhosi could turn their possession into goals, and were narrowly beaten by a goal to nil, they did manage to leave Pimville with some silver ware when as they managed to run out victorious against Santos in the 3rd – 4th place play off match.

Semifinal loss

Chiefs were aiming to go one better this time than their previous best performance which saw them progress to the semi-finals in 2005; it was not to be as once again the semifinals proved to be a hurdle to steep to climb for the young Chiefs team.

In what was a tough and tightly contested game Ajax managed to grab the only goal of the game in the sixteenth minute, when their number 18 Kaylon Klaasen got on to the end of what was a well worked move by Ajax. A move which saw the young urban warriors exchange a number of short passes before the ball was eventually worked out to the left, and crossed into the Chiefs 18 yard area and where Klaasen met the ball and side footed it home.

Chiefs tried to find a way back into the game after Klaasen’s 16th minute goal, Nyiko Tshabangu tested Ajax keeper Mikhail Jacobs, with a left foot pile driver on twenty minutes. The Ajax keeper was up to the challenge acrobatically rising to push the ball over the post, a few minutes later and Jacobs almost let Chiefs back in the game as Tshabangu sent in a cross from the left towards Stephen Faba.

Jacobs came out and spilt the ball which went behind him towards Faba, one of Chiefs star performers from the previous rounds Faba was unable to knock the ball home form just a few yards out as he knocked the ball wide. Faba’s miss from close range summed up Chiefs afternoon as it was not to be their day; in the end the young Amakhosi exited the tournament by the narrowest of margins.

Bronze Medal Consolation

There was still time for Ace Khuse and his team to ensure that they would do Gauteng proud as they were the only team from the province in the semifinals, and they ensured that the host province would leave the competition with some silver ware.

As they managed to defeat another Cape Town side Santos in the play off game for third place, the only goal of the game coming in the 34th minute. Four minutes into the second half when Bongani Sondlane was played into space on the right hand side, the tall attacking midfielder struck the ball beautifully across the face of goal to score what in the end was enough to give Chiefs the bronze medal.

There was still time for The Amakhosi to push up in search of a second goal, their most influential player in the tournament Stephen Faba was unlucky not to notch up goal number five. The tough and very competitive forward managed to pounce on a through ball in the 60th minute, he shot past Santos keeper Saley but was undone by the bumpy surface which came to Santos aide.

As the ball rolled goal ward it hit an uneven patch in the ground and instead of going in, the ball rolled wide of the Santos post in the end the miss was academic as Chiefs picked up the bronze medal.