Mamelodi Sundowns have continued giving DStv Diski Challenge the first team experience.
This past weekend five youngsters, Siyanda Nyanga, Bongolwethu Siyasi, Jerome Karelse, Mpumelelo Nkomo and Ntando Nkosi, were part of the teams that took part in the Carling Black Label Cup.
They were given minutes as Sundowns won the Cup, beating AmaZulu 3-0 in the semifinal and Orlando Pirates 4-0 in the final.
These youngsters followed Cassius Mailula, the Man of the Match, in the semifinal against AmaZulu and scored a brace in the final when they thumped Pirates.
“The mandate is to win football matches and we put a line up without any sort of cognitive bias in relation to whether the player is young or old,” Mokwena told members of the media.
“I feel it is part of my responsibility to coach and help the young players and to try wherever I go to give them opportunities and help the clubs to have better futures like I have done almost everywhere I have gone to.”
“I am proud of these kids, Cassius, Ntando Nkosi, “Pitso” was one of my players in the academy with the late Motjeka Madisha. It means a lot for Sundowns supporters to see their products coming up in the team and it helps the country as well,” Mokoena added.
During the one-day tournament, Kaizer Chiefs also had young striker Wandile Duba and midfielder Samkelo Zwane in their team, while Pirates had Diski Challenge Ndumiso Ngiba.
Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane said more players from the development would be given a chance to play in the second round of the DStv Premiership.
“We will give our youngsters a chance to play. That’s the direction we are taking as a club to give our academy graduates more game time with the seniors, and for me, they gave us that extra oomph and looked dangerous when we attacked,”
Zwane added: “It was good for the young boys to play in a crowded stadium, and I believe that will also encourage other players in our DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) team that they can go on and change the game in front of more than 80 000 people at FNB Stadium.
“That can only mean that they were mentally ready for the challenge, and that’s what we also expected from them. If they can cope with that, it means their next game will be even much better than this one.”