Cell CInanda Africa Cup

The 2021 Cell C Inanda Africa Cup provided an unforgettable day of sportsmanship rounded off with a thrilling match between TEAM CELL C SOUTH AFRICA and SAO POLO TEAM NIGERIA. Streamed live on the official Inanda Club YouTube channel the match had polo enthusiasts glued to their screens as the teams showcased their outstanding skills and horsemanship techniques with Sao Polo Team Nigeria prevailing over Team Cell C South Africa.

“Congratulations to team Sao Polo on their sterling performance. The visiting team showed exceptional field prowess as a result of their well curated team-work.” Hazel Chimhandamba, Executive Head of Marketing at Cell C.

The near perfect weather and excellent field conditions allowed for a fast, exhilarating polo match, which concluded with an exhilarating penalty goal by Sao Polo Team Nigeria’s favourite player, Magaji Saidu Barda securing team the victory, the 2021 championship title and trophy.

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Stirring commentary by the presenter of the day, Matt Poll, kept polo enthusiast thrilled as the two teams fought tooth and nail in the high-scoring grand finale. First goal of the day was scored by Magajis Saidu Barda from Sao Polo Team Nigeria, kickstarting the team’s winning streak. The nerve-racking first chukka ended with a score of 1:2, in the favour of visiting team.

Thokozane Zondo scored a brilliant field goal  in the second chukka  landing his team on a score of 3:3 at the end of the second chukka, staging a dramatic second-half comeback.

Sao Polo Team Nigeria’s Magaji Saidu Barda took their 3^rd penalty of the day and scored with a clean shot to seal victory for his team with a final score of 4:7.

Sao Polo Team Nigeria’s Captain, Ope Oyinlola expressed gratitude in his comment, “Thank you to the Inanda Club for a great day on the field, we came a long way to play polo here.” He then added “ Thank you Craig James for inviting us, always a pleasure participating in this event; thank you to the sponsors Cell C and to my team, well done on the win.”

“I’d like to thank Cell C for their ongoing support in making the Cell C Inanda Africa Cup possible.” says Craig James, Inanda Polo Manager.  Craig James was also the captain of the Inanda Blue team that won the Curtain Raiser match, against East Rand earlier in the day.

The day kicked off with a Kids Curtain raiser polo match, between Inanda Blue and Inanda White, which Ended in a draw reinforcing how closely matched th next generation of polo players are.

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At the Prize Giving Ceremony Magaji Saidu Barda from Sao Polo Team Nigeria was awarded the title of the Most Valued Player (MVP), while the The Best Playing Pony (BPP) title went toLife Mode ridden by Zompie Totetsi from Sao Polo Team Nigeria.

In true Africa Cup fashion, the excitement of the day was rounded off by a thrilling Horse vs Machine Race, with Zompie Totetsi out galloping the prestigious Ferrari 458 Italia (Type F142).

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Johannesburg – A dynamic South African polo team will relish the challenge when they meet up against a very competitive visiting side from Nigeria on the 19^th June 2021 at the Inanda Club.  With great exhilaration, the club confirmed this week, that for the second year running the Cell C Inanda Africa Cup will be live streamed on the Official Inanda Club YouTube Channel.

“The Inanda Club is extremely excited to partner with Cell C and present a polo match which will showcase our talented development team test their skills against an invited team of international experienced players. The development of polo, to appeal to a broader audience and for players who might otherwise be unable to participate, has always been an important priority for the Inanda Club. Despite the challenges, we are pleased to be able to host the Cell C Inanda Africa Cup again this year,” says Craig James, Inanda Polo Manager. 

The main match will feature Team Cell C South Africa up against the Team Sao Polo Nigeria, while the curtain raiser match will be contested between teams from the Inanda Club and the East Rand Polo Club.

The Team Cell C South Africa are Masedi Molosiwa (-1), Bafana Skosana (0), Thulani Phungula (2), and the Captain Donono Lithula (3), who is based in Kokstad, Kwa Zulu Natal. Donono, who has been riding since 2009, he joined Bropolo at the end of the 2014 season as a young horse rider.  Donono has received numerous MVP prizes, the most recent of which was the Free State Champs, which fuels his dreams of becoming a 6 goaler.

The competing team, Sao Polo Team Nigeria comprises of Moyo Charles Oluwole-MCO (-1), Aliyu Tijjani (2), Zompie Totetsi (3) and Nigeria’s Ope Oyinlola (0) as the team Captain. Ope’s home club is the Lagos Club, in Lagos, Nigeria. Having won his first International Polo Tournament, the Plett Polo at Kurland, in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa, he is charged to keep the winning streak going!

“We are proud to support the Cell C Inanda Africa Cup’s Development drive, as the organisers strive to grow the sport amongst South Africans who hail from previously marginalised communities. This is in line with our ambition to create growth opportunities within the sport and enable the athletes to change their world,” says Hazel Chimhandamba, Executive Head of Marketing, Cell C.  

The Inanda Club also disclosed that the multi-talented actress, producer, award winning radio host, social media personality and philanthropist Bridget Masinga will play a pivotal role as the host to the 2021 Cell C Inanda Africa Cup. Her passion and glamorous sense of fashion and style will be an added fixture to the day’s events.

To ensure the safety of its members and players the Inanda Club takes every precaution and abides by the Government enforced Covd-19 regulations by live streaming the match on the official Inanda Club YouTube Channel.

Subscribe to the Official Inanda Club’s YouTube channel not to miss a single chukka. Follow all the Social Media sites for regular updates on what day has on offer.

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