The Mafumbatha Stadium was buzzing as Qhayiya Sport Academy and Burning Fire FC went head-to-head in a friendly that ended 1–0 in favour of Qhayiya on Sunday 21 September 2025. While the scoreline mattered to fans, both coaches stressed that the real goal was preparing their squads for the challenges of the new season.
Qhayiya Sport Academy head coach Thabo Ngcongo explained that the early goal came from discipline and teamwork in the first half. “The boys applied exactly what we had worked on at training, and that’s why we scored. Later, I made tactical changes to test new players, which affected our rhythm, but it’s part of building for the league,” Ngcongo said.
Team captain Lwandiso Nkosiyani voiced the coach’s focus on long-term growth. He assured supporters that while the team is still finding its feet, there is a bigger picture. “We ask our fans to remain patient. We want to finish this season among the top three on the log, and that requires consistent support,” he said.
On the other side, Burning Fire FC coach Computer Mlisa admitted that his team lacked sharpness in the first half but was encouraged by their fight in the second. “The players regrouped at halftime and played with more hunger. That’s the kind of spirit we need going forward,” Mlisa said.
Burning Fire’s captain agreed, noting that while the defeat stung, the adjustments made during the game revealed strengths to build on.
