Ubuntu crowned 2025 Premier Cup champions

In what can be described as a north versus south battle, Ubuntu Football Academy beat their Johannesburg rivals, Randburg FC 2-0, to lift the Bayhill Premier Cup, at Athlone Stadium, on Easter Monday, April 21.

The newly-crowned champions faced fellow Cape rivals Hellenic in their opening group stage fixture, coming away with a 3-1 win, followed by a 1-all draw against Virginia Academy and a 2-0 win against the Eastern Cape’s Major Chiefs Sports Club.

A tough assignment awaited in the round of 16 as they faced off against a stubborn FC Porto, from Philippi, playing to a 2-all draw before advancing to the quarter-finals against a quality FN Rangers, whom they beat 1-0.

A hard-fought win by a similar margin against Cape Town City, in the semi-finals, was enough to secure Ubuntu a cup-final date against the visitors from Joburg.

A brace by star striker Henry Ihebe sealed the deal for Ubuntu - the first was a rebound from a shot by Sivu Lonzi that was saved; the second was from a pinpoint cross from Rebaona Zungu.

With the bulk of the squad made up of  under-17 players, including three 15-year-olds and only five under-19 players, this Ubuntu outfit consisted of the perfect blend of creativity and adaptability, following in the footsteps of their predecessors who were under-18 Coke Cup finalists in 2022 and back-to-back Engen Knockout Challenge (KOC) winners in 2019 and 2021 as well as KOC national championship finalists in 2021. 

Located just outside of Masiphumelele, Ubuntu’s under-19s were among a number of squads from the academy who performed well over the Easter weekend. The under-14s won the Fleetwood Town International Football Academy (FTIFA) Cup in Tamboerskloof  and the under-16s were runners-up. The previous weekend, Ubuntu’s under-12s and under-10s won the Unity Cup, in Steenberg.

“The most important thing about our performance in the Bayhill, was how every single player contributed to the group’s success,” said coach Casey Prince.  

“Every player started at least one game in the tournament and played in more than one.That meant we could be at our best in the crucial moments,” he said.

“Jaden Valentine’s performance in goal was very mature and he certainly deserved his award for being the goalkeeper-of-the-series award, following in the footsteps of Taariq Ganga in 2017.  To have two players share top goal scorer shows how well balanced the squad was.  And Jaleel Thomas played every minute of the knockout rounds, including extra time in the quarter-final,” said Prince.