Mbombela United F.C.

Mbombela United FC were a community soccer team based in the Mpumalanga provincial capital, Mbombela.[1]

Mbombela United
Full nameMbombela United Football Club
Founded2010 (2010)
GroundKaNyamazane Stadium
Capacity15,000

The team was established in 2010 and was wholly owned by the Matsebula brothers, Skhumbuzo and Oupa, prominent business people in the transport and property sector. It was popularly known as Tingwenyama, meaning pride of lions in the local SiSwati language. Mbombela United won the Mpumalanga stream of 2012–13 SAFA Second Division, then known as Vodacom league, under the guidance of caretaker coach, Lesego Matsomela, but failed to qualify for a National First Division (NFD) spot via the playoffs.[2]

During the 2014–15 season, Mbombela United once again won the Mpumalanga Stream under the guidance of Mfanimphela "Mphela" Maseko after defeating Mthatha Bucks by 2 goals to 1 in the finals courtesy of goals by Isaac Nana and Inky Masuku, winning promotion to the National First Division.[3]

In its first NFD campaign, under the mentorship of Vusi Phillip Mkatshwa, Mbombela United came close to automatic promotion, but managed to secure a spot in the playoffs. However, they failed to qualify for a spot in the Premier Soccer League.

They were relegated to the SAFA Second Division at the end of the 2019–20 National First Division. They initially finished on 32 points, avoiding relegation on goal difference, but were docked 23 points after fielding Sabelo Ndzinisa, who had initially signed for Sporting, in 23 games.[4]

Honours
Notes
  1. The league was known as the ABC Motsepe League at the time for sponsorship reasons.

References
  1. Yende, Sizwe Sama. "Mpumalanga hopes to add another club to SA soccer's top ranks". City Press. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  2. thobilemlangeni (4 July 2020). "Tingwenyama a team of choice in Nsikazi region and beyond the boundaries of Mpumalanga". Lowvelder. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  3. "Mbombela United and Mthatha Bucks promoted to NFD". www.safa.net. South African Football Association. 24 July 2015. Archived from the original on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  4. "Mbombela United relegated to ABC Motsepe League". SowetanLIVE. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
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