Ernst Middendorp makes immediate impact as Urban Academy reach national final

Former Kaizer Chiefs and Durban City coach Ernst Middendorp has made an immediate impact in his new role at Urban Academy, helping guide the school’s Under-19 boys to the final of the Kay Motsepe Schools Championship National Finals.

Middendorp was appointed Academy Director in August after Urban Academy Private School, based in the Eastern Cape, launched Urban Academy Football Club. The football programme was added to an academy that was already established and flourishing, with boys and girls from Under-9 level through to Under-19 included in the new structure.

The academy’s rapid progress follows a successful year in which it won the Victoria Park Soccer Tournament and the provincial Super Soccer Schools Tournament, among other honours.

At the national finals, held at Giant Stadium in Soshanguve, Middendorp was seen closely following Urban Academy’s Under-19 matches. The German coach is working as the Director of Football within the school’s football operation.

Urban Academy began the tournament with victories over Ikhandlela High, the KwaZulu-Natal representatives, and Western Cape winners Vususizwe High. They won those group matches 2-1 and 3-1 respectively to secure a place in the quarter-finals.

The Eastern Cape side then edged St Marks Academy of Mpumalanga 1-0 to reach the semi-finals, where they faced record champions Clapham High from Gauteng.

The semi-final ended 2-2 after regular time. The match had initially been stopped during the closing stages on Monday because of hail, but Urban Academy prevailed in the penalty shootout to book their place in the final.

They will face Navalsig High of the Free State, who earned their place in the decider with a 3-0 victory against fellow provincial side Ntsu High in the other semi-final.

The Under-19 boys’ tournament carries prize money of R3 million. However, the funds cannot be distributed directly to the players or school teams and must instead be used for school infrastructure development, facility improvements and legacy projects.

For Middendorp, the final represents an early milestone in his work with an institution that has expanded its football programme from an existing academy into a club catering for both boys and girls across several age groups.