The Bloemfontein-based football team FC Black Cross is dead set on advancing to the National First Division (NFD) after elimination from the Nedbank Cup by Venda Academy from Limpopo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The local outfit lost 1 \u2013 2 to more experienced opponents in a last-32 group fixture played at the Dr RP Molemela Stadium in Bloemfontein on Saturday (11\/02). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The host\u2019s inability to exploit home advantage against Venda saw the latter progress to the last-16 group stage. Black Cross missed out on the R200 000 offered to clubs that reach the tournament\u2019s last-16 stage. How\u00adever, the team is still guaranteed a reward of R100 000 for reaching the last-32 group. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was the first time the club reached this stage of the competition, representing the Free State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After managing to level the score board at 1 \u2013 1, it seemed possible Black Cross would pull an upset. The goal had come via a penalty that Theko Thako converted with ease. However, they could not penetrate the opposition\u2019s solid defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Simo Dladla, coach of Venda Academy, praised his warriors\u2019 play. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The coach of Black Cross, Sello Ntuli, admitted his charges lacked the necessary punching power. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe became sluggish and could not sustain the pressure after managing the equaliser. I believe we could have pulled an upset if we had stuck to the basics,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur focus now is to win the provincial Motsepe ABC League and go on to fight for promotion to the NFD.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ntuli said he was not overly concerned about the performance against Venda, who campaigned in the league just above them; adding his team would be working to improve in the league competition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He believes the team\u2019s elimination from the tournament did not dampen his players\u2019 confidence and morale. Black Cross remains unbeaten in stream B of the ABC Motsepe League in the Free State and is topping the log after ten league matches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The club has a tough league fixture against the Central University of Technology (CUT) on Friday (17\/02). The match will be played at the CUT sports field in Bloemfontein at 17:00.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Black Cross were unable to emulate the now defunct Maluti FET College from Qwaqwa, who remains the only club from the lower league to beat a top-flight Premier Soccer League (PSL) team. The club achieved this feat in 2013 by beating PSL giants Orlando Pirates 4 \u2013 1 under the guidance of Morena Ramorebodi. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Botshabelo-based Mathaithai FC reached the last-16 group stage last year. However, they suffered a 0 \u2013 6 defeat against powerhouse Mamelodi Sundowns.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Bloemfontein-based football team FC Black Cross is dead set on advancing to the National First Division (NFD) after elimination from the Nedbank Cup by Venda Academy from 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