Vasco da Gama wins back the Coke Cup

Vasco da Gama won on penalties in this year’s Coke Cup against RV United at Athlone stadium. Photo by Siyabonga Kalipa.

Siyabonga Kalipa

14 October 2014

Vasco da Gama beat RV United from Khayelitsha on penalties at the women’s finals of this year’s amateur Coke Cup at Athlone stadium.

The match ran to a goalless draw before the penalty shootout.

In the first game, Ajax under-17 beat Masidlale under-17 from Nyanga 2-1.

Silver Spurs from Bonteheuwel hammered Bluegum United from Silvertown 3-0 to win the men’s seniors final.

All winners received R30 000.

Vasco da Gama’s goalkeeper Analina de Faria said, “I’m elated that we finally won the cup back after losing it six years ago. We worked really hard for this.”

She said Vasco da Gama would play RV United twice more in the play-offs in the Sasol league.

“Our team has a great future and now we are going to put all our focus on the Sasol league.”

Samantha Vilabon of RV United who missed a penalty, said she was “emotional and sad”.

“The girls deserve to have won this game. Vasco gave us a good game, it’s hard that we couldn’t finish it.”

Vilabon said, “Even though I feel if I had scored my penalty we might have won the game, our philosophy as a team is ‘we win as a team and lose as a team’.”

The Coke Cup is an amateur competition that aims to display the talent of local clubs.

Vasco da Gama coach Martin le Roux said, “We should have been a goal up in the game. We knew they were a strong side, but we were solid in defence which is why they couldn’t score.”

Coach of the team from Khayelitsha Vuyolwethu Kayi said, “We gained a lot of experience from the tournament and there’s still a lot that we need to do to improve. We need to get our heads up after this loss because we are going to the play-offs of the Sasol league.”