Despite last night’s 4-0 victory over DUT, Tuks will not be in action in the semi-finals of the Varsity Soccer Tournament.
Tuks finished fifth on the log. This means that UJ and TUT will face each other in one semi-final match and Kovsies and Northwest in the other.
Tuks’ 2025 Varsity campaign will be remembered for the inability of the players to score goals. Tuks only managed to get points on the scoreboard in its fifth match. It was not that Tuks played poorly. In every game, scoring chances were created, but haste and mistakes meant that the team could not capitalise on them. To the credit of the players, they did own up to the shortcomings. There were never any excuses.
In addition, Tuks probably had the toughest draw of the tournament. Its first four matches were against the four teams that will contest the semi-finals next week. So it was game on from the first kick-off. It could be argued that Tuks did well to draw in its first three games.
From a Tuks perspective, the statistics of the Varsity Tournament are ironic. In the end, Tuks is the team that scored the most goals. They scored 10. The top four teams have all scored just seven goals. Tuks, UJ and Northwest each conceded just two goals. This is the fewest of the tournament. Tuks’ goal difference (goals scored and conceded) is eight. This is the best of the tournament. UJ is the only undefeated team in the tournament so far. Tuks and Northwest have both lost just once.
So, at the end of the day, it comes down to the fact that if Tuks could have won just one more match, the 2025 Varsity campaign would have been a success. But there’s no point in dwelling on it. It is what it is.
To the credit of the Tuks players, each and every one of them played until the last minute to honour Tuks “Coveted Stripes”.
The last words on this campaign belong to Matome Rangata, who scored one Tuks’ goal last night.
“It was definitely tough, but we gave it everything we had, and I’m proud of how the team fought till the end. Having the bragging rights for most goals and fewest conceded is definitely something to be proud of.”
The players who scored for Tuks during the tournament are Raymond Matlamela (3), Quinton Stokes-Waller (2), Malome Rangata, Mathuane Selotola, Paballo Mamabola, Mnqobi Mkhize and Damian Overmeyer.
