For North-West University (NWU) head coach Nkululeko Malgas, history is both a lesson and a motivator. The NWU Eagles thrashed the University of the Free State (UFS) 4-0 at home in last year’s semi-final, but stumbled to a 1-0 loss away this season. Now, with another home semi-final on Thursday, 25 September, he insists the slate is clean.

“It is a new game, a new year and even new match officials,” coach Malgas says. “The UFS have a new coach, Mokete Tsotetsi, who has done extremely well in his first season at university level. So, we cannot rely on the past; we must prepare for this match as its own battle.”

The UFS enters with momentum after four straight group-stage wins. “I call that a championship spell,” coach Malgas admits. “They also collected seven points from nine away from home. To take four points off Wits and the University of Pretoria on the road is not easy. They have been very good travellers.”

For the NWU, this semi-final is about more than just progress; it is about redemption. Last year, they reached the home final, only to lose to the University of the Western Cape on penalties – a result that still stings. “That one hurt,” coach Malgas reflects. “We had the opportunity in front of our fans and could not take it. This year, we want to finish the job. The last time the NWU won Varsity Football was in 2018. It is time.”

Preparation, he says, has been deliberate. “We are where we wanted to be from the start of our Varsity Football technical strategy. We needed a bit of luck from the Tswane University of Technology to secure a home semi, but the boys know the stage they are on and what is expected. They are a fully motivated group.”

Coach Malgas underlines the role of supporters as a crucial factor. “Our 12th man is something else,” he says. “They arrive two hours before kick-off. By the time we go out for warm-up, the stadium is already half full. They drive these boys to another level. They are just unbelievable.”

For coach Malgas and the NWU, the mission is clear: channel the pain of last year, harness the energy of the fans, and chase the title that has eluded them since 2018.

As kick-off approaches, coach Malgas issues a rallying call: “We owe it to ourselves and to our supporters. We have been close before, but now is the moment to bring the Varsity Football trophy back to the NWU.”

NWU players celebrating a goal against Wits in Round 7 of the Varsity Football tournament.