THE Nemato pastors’ football team was a well-oiled machined on Saturday afternoon, defeating Ndlambe FM presenters’ team 10-5 at Gidana Stadium in Ndlovini.
The Ndlambe FM presenters left their studio on Saturday afternoon for a different kind of entertainment on the football field. Male radio presenters made up the team, but their female colleagues gave moral support. Commentary on the game was broadcast on air to accommodate those who could not make it to the stadium.
Facing them on the field were a team of local pastors from different denominations, but they could only muster nine players. Even so, they went forward with the game. Both teams had a few players who also play in the Ndlambe Local Football Association.
The game kicked off at 3.30pm.
Even two men down, the pastors double their efforts on the field, displaying early dominance. They scored a goal in the first five minutes. The radio presenters’ team launched a counter attack but the ball was intercepted and played straight to Nomnganga Fire who put it at the back of the net.
Fire was unstoppable and gave the Ndlambe FM defenders a headache. Even though he was a lone striker he managed to score four goals with one assist under his name. Pastor Mahlati killed the radio presenters’ hope when he scored two beautiful goals in the first half. The deejays went into half time trailing 5-0.
In the second half Ndlambe FM came on much stronger and dominated the first ten minutes. Philimon Njibana, who is a presenter in the morning devotion hour from 5am – 6am, scored one goal in the second half, giving hope to the deejays that God was also on their side. His goal invited a flood of goals from both sides. The second half became anyone’s game.
Then Thabo Loli from the pastors’ team extended their lead with two goals.
Nkosinathi Poni from Ndlambe FM tried to restore his team’s hopes when he scored two goals. Confidence seemed to have come back when Sinethemba Pase also scored two goals.
The pastor’s team responded by converting their holy spirit into team spirit when Thokozani Mtiki and Joe Magwa poured salt on their opponents’ wounds by adding two more goals to guarantee their win. The final score was 10-5 to the pastors.
The entertainment did not end on the field. After the game which ended around 5pm, players from both teams were asked to head to Titi Jonas where they were surprised, especially the pastors, with supper.
Zoli Sakade, who is a presenter and part of the management at Ndlambe FM, said the main aim was to entertain listeners and residents at large.
“We were only entertaining our people as we normally do. But we wanted the players to have some food after the game and that’s the only difference,” said Sakade.
