Bloemfontein – The University of Fort Hare emerged victorious in the 2023 Sasol League National Championships last month, clinching the title in a nail-biting penalty shootout against Lindelani Ladies.
According to South African Football Association, the University of Fort Hare’s journey to triumph was a testament to strategic planning and relentless ambition. The final match, which took place in Bloemfontein, culminated in an intense face-off that saw the East London-based university team earn promotion along with Lindelani Ladies, granting them the right to compete in the 2024 Hollywoodbets Super League season.
Asanda Mnakaniso, the head coach of Fort Hare, narrated the team’s path to success, beginning with the implementation of Vision 2025 — a plan initiated at the request of the Department of Sport back in 2020. This foresight led to the university’s sports officer’s endorsement and a subsequent recruitment drive that saw over 150 Grade 12 players apply to the University of Fort Hare between 2021 and 2023, culminating in a robust squad.
Coach Mnakaniso recalled the foundational pre-season in January of Year One, where the team finished fourth in the provincial league out of sixteen teams. In the second year, the team pushed beyond their boundaries, focusing on motivation and performance enhancement, which paid off with their impressive sixth place in the national Varsity Football, contending with 20 other universities.
Their ambition was unyielding as they entered the Sasol League playoffs, where their confidence burgeoned with each game won, eventually leading to them being crowned champions of the Eastern Cape. This surge of success carried them forward to the national stage, where their hard work and preparation culminated in securing the prestigious national title, which they see as only the beginning of their ascent.