Chinese club Shandong Luneng are the new kings of the Gauteng Future Champions international under 17 tournament! This follows their thrilling five goals to four win on penalties over French side Paris Saint-Germain after the sides were level at one-all after fulltime at the Rand stadium today.
In a match played in front of a large crowd, Shandong Luneng lifted the tournament trophy after Argentina’s Boca Juniors won last year’s inaugural tournament played in Pimville, Soweto.
The world class youth football event is made possible through the support of the Gauteng provincial government’s Department of Sport, Arts Culture and Recreation and the South African Football Association, with the province showcasing its football facilities and giving the young football stars a chance to play against international teams from across the globe.
While Songyi Li (Shandong Luneng) and Jeremy Quemener (Paris Saint-Germain) scored for their respective teams, the French club will be making the long trip home thinking about what could have been after Ilan Boccara missed from the penalty spot in the 54th minute.
Brazil’s Botafogo took third place in the tournament in holding out for a four goals to two win on penalties over last year’s runners-up Esperance, after the teams were deadlocked at one-all after fulltime. Cidinho (Botafogo) and Ahmed Sassis (Esperance) netted for their respective teams during regulation time.
Supersport Tottenham Hotspurs Academy missed a first half penalty as they slumped to a two gaols to one defeat against Zambian side K Stars in the playoff for fifth position. For the Lusaka based team, Alex Sichone made no mistake from the penalty spot, with the other goal scored by Martin Chakulya.
Kaizer Chiefs suffered their third consecutive defeat in the tournament, going down one goal to zero to Irish visitors, Team Dublin. Craig Hanlon scored the only goal of the match to ensure his team of a seventh place finish in the 12-team tournament.
The good news for the Amakhosi was that two of their academy players in the form of the Meadowlands Secondary pair of striker Andile Nqabeni and central midfielder Boitumelo Xaba finished among the top three candidates in the talent search competition, earning them a week-long world football experience tour abroad later this year.
They will be joined by top performer Stephen Tlhabane, a grade 10 pupil at Akasia High in Tshwane. Soweto based Coach Siphiwe Tsotetsi, who coaches the Super Eagles FC under 11 to 17 age group teams in Dlamini, will also be a part of the travelling party.
Nqabeni, Xaba and Tlhabane finished in the top positions out of the 70 participants that contested the final stage of the talent search. The final phase was the conclusion of the four month campaign with the skills of over 6 000 players from the South African Football Association (SAFA) Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg central, Motsweding, Sedibeng, West Rand and Tshwane regions having been assessed.
Meanwhile, DC United played to a goalless draw in their ninth place playoff fixture against SAFA Johannesburg. The Washington DC side recorded four goals to two on penalties. Having fallen out of the reckoning earlier in the tournament with several over age players in their squad, India’s Mumbai Challengers beat SAFA Tshwane one goal to zero for the playoff for 11th position, through a goal scored by Thounaojam Singh. But the SAFA Tshwane side was pencilled on the final list in 11th place based on the over-age squad problem of the Indian team.
Saturday’s results
Playoff for 11th position:
Mumbai Challengers (India): one, (Thounaojam Singh)
SAFA Tshwane (South Africa): zero
Note SAFA Tshwane awarded 11th position as Mumbai Challengers entered tournament with over aged players in their team
Playoff for seventh position:
Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa): zero
Team Dublin (Ireland): one (Craig Hanlon)
Playoff for ninth position:
DC United (United States of America): zero
SAFA Johannesburg (South Africa): zero
DC United won four goals to two on penalties
Playoff for fifth position:
K Stars (Zambia): two (Alex Sichone, Martin Chakulya)
Supersport Tottenham Hotspurs Academy (South Africa): one
Playoff for third position:
Botafogo (Brazil): one (Cidinho)
Esperance (Tunisia): one (Ahmed Sassi)
Botafogo won four goals to two on penalties
Tournament final:
Shandong Luneng (China): one (Songyi Li)
Paris Saint-Germain: one (Jeremy Quemener)
Shandong Luneng won five goals to four on penalties
For more information contact:
Nomazwe Ntlokwana
Tel: 011 355 2578
Cell: 083 507 8068
Issued by: Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Gauteng Provincial Government
1 February 2010
Source: Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.srac.gpg.gov.za/)
