Buffalo City’s Prides and OR Tambo’s United have been promoted to the Eastern Cape ABC Motsepe League for the coming season starting in September.
Prides will ply their trade in the coastal stream and will be Buffalo City’s second club in the competition after Relatives.
United will add to the teams from the Mthatha region in the inland streams.
Both teams booked their spots in the third tier of South African football in the regional league playoffs held at the Bunkers Hill Grounds in KuGompo City at the weekend.
Prides beat Sarah Baartman’s Super Stars via a penalty shootout after the team drew 2-2 in regulation time in the semifinals on Sunday.
United had a similar route as they beat Nelson Mandela Bay’s Major Chiefs by penalties following a goalless draw.
United were the eventual champions after beating Prides 2-1 in the final.
“We are happy we have achieved our goal, which was to reach the ABC,” United team manager Bulelani Zitwana said.
“We are pleased that our region will have another team in the league.
“This means that all the boys coming from Mthatha and surrounding areas will have another chance to fulfil their dreams.
“It will not be easy in the ABC, but we are braced for it.
“We do have players in our squad who are experienced and who have played in the league before.”
Prides boss Hilton Poovan said they were ecstatic with qualification to the ABC after spending just one season in the regional league having bought a status.
Prides became the Buffalo City regional champions in their debut season in the fourth-tier league.
Poovan said promotion was a historic moment for the club that dated back to 1922.
“Our club has history, and this is a proud moment for us.
“Remember, we won the league with just a point and came to the playoffs and claimed promotion in our first season; it was God’s will.
“I think there’s only one team that has done that previously in the history of the competition.
“We will celebrate for now, but the job is not done.
“We will have a sit-down with the team over the coming days and look at where we can improve.
“We will have to recruit some players and boost our squad because the ABC is a tough level,” he said.
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