By: Refilwe Sebola
Thlothlokwe Golden Syrup under 18 boys and Mandlakazi’s Sisters Under 20 ladies have been selected to represent Mopani and Limpopo, respectively, in the esteemed Engen Boys Under 18 and Ladies Under 20 knockout Challenge at Wits’s Markspark Soccer grounds in Emmerencia, Johannesburg.
This highly anticipated tournament, sponsored by Engen, is scheduled to commence from Friday, the 27th of September to Sunday, the 29th. Nine teams from the nine provinces under the South African Football Association (SAFA) will vie for the championship. Notable teams such as Kaizer Chiefs and Stellenbosch are set to participate in the boys’ category, while the formidable Mamelodi Sundowns will feature in the Ladies’ division.
In the previous year, Nkowankowa Continental and Sisters represented Limpopo. This year, Thlothlokwe is placed in a more favorable group compared to Continental. Their group includes prominent teams such as Kaizer Chiefs, Virginia Sports Academy, Shayamoya, and Ebhayi, while Sisters’ main contender in their group is the Mamelodi Sundowns ladies’ team, whom they will encounter in their first game of the tournament.
Thabo Moremi, the team manager of Thlothlokwe, has expressed confidence in his team and foresees the selection of at least three of his players. Moremi stated his belief that his team will secure victory in at least two games within their group. Mohlaluganyi Rakhwahla, the manager of Sisters, has conveyed the team’s ambition to secure a spot in the semifinals. He articulated their goal of either drawing with or defeating Sundowns to realize their semifinal aspirations. Below is the comprehensive fixture for all the games: Boys and Ladies fixtures.
