Kaizer Chiefs will be on a mission to become the first Gauteng team to lift the coveted Gauteng Future Champions international under 17 tournament title, when the event takes place in Soweto near Johannesburg from 25 to 30 January 2009.
The tournament stakeholders, namely the Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation and South African Football Association (SAFA) Soweto, plus event management company Global Sports International have gone the extra mile to ensure that eight top foreign teams will join the Amakhosi youngsters, Gauteng under 17 cup academy champions Supersport United, Gauteng under 17 Cup regional winners; SAFA Tshwane select and SAFA Johannesburg select in search of goals.
The Naturena based club will want to go all the way to the trophy having been eliminated by 2009 champions Boca Juniors from Argentina, five goals to three on penalties in the semi-final stage of last year’s inaugural tournament played in Pimville, Soweto.
However, the going will be even tougher this year with Botafogo (Brazil), Dublin District Schoolboy League (Ireland), Paris Saint-Germain (France), DC United (United States of America), Shandong Luneng (China), and line ups from India, Tunisia and Zambia looking to make the trip to Gauteng a successful one on the field.
Gauteng MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Ms Nelisiwe Mbatha-Mtimkulu said: “As Gauteng prepares to play a pivotal role in South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, our proud sports loving province is set to show the world just why we are known as the “Gateway to 2010”.
“Furthermore, we pride ourselves as being known as “The Home of Champions” and it is up to the likes of Kaizer Chiefs and the three other Gauteng based clubs to show skill, discipline and determination, in a bid to keep the Gauteng Future Champions international under 17 tournament title on home soil.”
Kaizer Chiefs Football Manager Bobby Motaung remarked: “It gives Kaizer Chiefs great pleasure to be a part of the Gauteng Future Champions international under 17 tournament once again. I think everyone who witnessed the tournament last year will agree that it was a splendid tournament.”
A clash with Supersport United will be high up on the Amakhosi’s agenda after the Tshwane club outplayed them three goals to two in extra time in the academy final in November last year. According to the tournament rules, both finalists automatically qualify for the international leg of the campaign.
Among the attractions that the international teams will visit during their stay, will be the recently upgraded Soccer City stadium which will play host to the opening match and grand finale of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The Gauteng Future Champions under 17 tournament will see the 12 teams divided into three groups.
After the round-robin matches between the teams in each group have been completed, the top side in each pool plus the best on-points second placed team from the three pools will contest the semi-finals matches, in a bid to decide which teams will take part in the tournament final on 30 January.
The coaches of the international teams will also get an opportunity to address local coaches from the Gauteng regions, in order to pass on elements of their football coaching knowledge as well as their football experiences, which will play a role in empowering the Gauteng coaches to educate rising talent in the province.
For further information, please contact:
Nomazwe Ntlokwana
Cell: 083 507 8068
Issued by: Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Gauteng Provincial Government
13 January 2010
Source: Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.srac.gpg.gov.za/)
