Bidvest Wits win the 2019 Future Champions Gauteng Cup

Johannesburg, Sunday, 17th March 2019 – Bidvest Wits have been crowned 2019 Future Champions Gauteng Cup winners for the second successive year after two days of enthralling action at the WJ Clemments Stadium in Reiger Park, Boksburg that saw the best clubs and schools in the Province clash with the SAFA districts for the coveted first prize.

Wits edged Orlando Pirates FC 3-2 on penalties in the final after the teams had played to a 0-0 draw, another tightly-contested clash on a day when there was very little to choose between the teams.

Both sides qualify for the prestigious Future Champions Gauteng International Tournament that will be played at the Nike Football Training Centre in Pimville, Soweto from 25th to 30th March, along with Kaizer Chiefs, who finished third in the Gauteng Cup.

Chiefs edged Highlands Park 3-2 on penalties after their bronze-medal match had finished goalless.

That had followed two tense semi-finals, when Pirates edged Chiefs 1-0 in a mini-Soweto Derby, thanks to a penalty from forward Boitumelo Radiopane.

The other semi-final ended goalless between Wits and Highlands Park, with The Clever Boys holding their nerve to win the shoot-out 4-3.

SAFA Johannesburg and Dr BW Vilakazi Secondary School booked their place in the final of the girls’ competition that will be played at the Future Champions Gauteng International Tournament.

SAFA Johannesburg, who made the final last year, topped their pool at the Gauteng Cup with a win and a draw, Kekgethegile Mohasoa bagging a brace as they claimed a decisive 4-1 victory over SAFA Tshwane.

SAFA West Rand did not feature on Sunday, meaning Group A was a straight shoot-out between SAFA Sedibeng and Dr BW Vilakazi Secondary, which the latter won 2-1.

Zara Wilkinson, who was one of the talent search players selected to go to Spain at the end of last year, turned out for SAFA Johannesburg.

Saturday saw the group action in the boys’ tournament as Wits edged SAFA Ekurhuleni in Group A on goal-difference after both sides ended on seven points. The teams had played to a 0-0 draw in what proved the shoot-out for top spot in the pool.

Highlands Park knocked SuperSport United into second place in Group B, with the latter’s chances stymied when they were held to a 0-0 draw by Clapham High.

Chiefs won a Group C that saw just three points separate the top team in the pool and bottom-placed Jomo Cosmos. Chiefs finished with a win and two draws for five points, with Reshogofaditswe Secondary and SAFA Tshwane joint second with three.

Pirates romped through Group D though as the only side in the first round to win all three of their matches. The decisive match in that pool came when they edged Mamelodi Sundowns 3-2 to book top-spot.

Mamelodi Sundowns forward Thando Buthelezi finished as top-scorer at the Gauteng Cup with five goals.

The Future Champions Gauteng Cup was organised by Global Sports International in conjunction with Gauteng’s Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, and the Department of Education, as well as the South African Football Association.

Other partners include the PSL, City of Ekurhuleni, LaLiga, Rand Water and Clinix Health.

BOYS RESULTS, TABLES AND GOALSCORERS:

GROUP A

SAFA Johannesburg 0-2 SAFA Ekurhuleni
SAFA Ekurhuleni 5-3 Phafogang Secondary
SAFA Johannesburg 3-4 Phafogang Secondary
SAFA Johannesburg 0-2 Bidvest Wits
Phafogang Secondary 0-3 Bidvest Wits
SAFA Ekurhuleni 0-0 Bidvest Wits

GROUP B

SAFA West Rand 0-5 Clapham High
Clapham High 0-4 Highlands Park
SAFA West Rand 1-4 SuperSport United
SAFA West Rand 0-1 Highlands Park
Highlands Park 1-1 SuperSport United
Clapham High 0-0 SuperSport United

GROUP C

SAFA Tshwane 2-2 Reshogofaditswe Secondary
Reshogofaditswe Secondary 1-1 Jomo Cosmos
SAFA Tshwane 0-0 Kaizer Chiefs
SAFA Tshwane 0-0 Jomo Cosmos
Jomo Cosmos 0-1 Kaizer Chiefs
Reshogofaditswe Secondary 1-1 Kaizer Chiefs

GROUP D

SAFA Sedibeng 2-2 Esokwazi Secondary
Esokwazi Secondary 1-7 Mamelodi Sundowns
SAFA Sedibeng 0-1 Orlando Pirates
SAFA Sedibeng 0-3 Mamelodi Sundowns
Mamelodi Sundowns 2-3 Orlando Pirates
Esokwazi Secondary 0-3 Orlando Pirates

SEMI-FINALS

Kaizer Chiefs 0 Orlando Pirates 1 (Radiopane pen)
BidVest Wits 0 Highlands Park 0 – Wits win 4-3 on pens

THIRD-PLACE PLAY-OFF

Kaizer Chiefs 0 Highlands Park 0 – Chiefs win 3-2 on pens

FINAL

Orlando Pirates 0 Bidvest Wits 0 – Wits win 3-2 on pens

GOALSCORERS

5 goals – Thando Buthelezi (Mamelodi Sundowns)
4 – Boitumelo Radiopane (Orlando Pirates)
3 – Jenaceson Jerome Karelse (Mamelodi Sundowns), Mpumelelo Ndaba (SAFA Johannesburg)
2 – Thato Mabunda (Clapham High), Lucky Madibeng (SAFA Ekurhuleni), Lesetja Maja (Clapham High), Ryan Manning (Supersport United), Kamokelo Masondo (Phafogang Secondary), Tebogo Tyrose Masuku (SAFA Ekurhuleni), Nkosi Motshoeni (Esokwazi Secondary), Siphamandla Msezane (Orlando Pirates)
1 – Bheki Cele (Orlando Pirates), Lesego Ditshego (SAFA Ekurhuleni), Lyema Dopolo (Supersport United), Thabani Gumede (Orlando Pirates), Morena Khalane (Esokwazi Secondary), Glen Khumalo (Reshogofaditswe Secondary), Kabelo Lekalakala (Mamelodi Sundowns), Siyabonga Mabena (Supersport United), Akhona Makhanya (Phafogang Secondary), Jordan Marks (Supersport United), Olebogeng Mathibedi (Clapham High), Aiden McCarthy (Kaizer Chiefs), Sabelo Mnguni (Phafogang Secondary), Musa Mphomane (Kaizer Chiefs), Simphiwe Mpungose (Phafogang Secondary), Blessings Mumba (Phafogang Secondary), Lebo Mtshaba (Highlands Park), Motlhalosi Nare (Bidvest Wits), Thato Ndela (SAFA Ekurhuleni), Mduduzi Ngidi (Orlando Pirates), Mpumelelo Nkomo (Mamelodi Sundowns), Karabo Nkontlha (Westrand), Banele Nkosi (SAFA Ekurhuleni), Lulama Nxumalo (Mamelodi Sundowns), Karabelo Ramokepa (Mamelodi Sundowns), Tshegofatso Raphaka (Reshogofaditswe Secondary), Akani Rathokoa (SAFA Tshwane), Lehloholo Selebeleng (SAFA Sedibeng), Luyanda Skhakane (Highlands Park), Sibusiso Skhosana (Reshogofaditswe Secondary), Kgodiso Sukati (Bidvest Wits), Sibanyoni Thembinkosi (SAFA Tshwane), Azola Tshobeni (Orlando Pirates), Riadre Vries (Mamelodi Sundowns), Lerato Zukelwa (SAFA Sedibeng)

GIRLS RESULTS, TABLE AND GOALSCORERS:

Group A

SAFA West Rand 0-3 SAFA Sedibeng (walkover)
Dr BW Vilakazi Secondary 3-0 SAFA West Rand (walkover)
SAFA Sedibeng 1-2 Dr BW Vilakazi Secondary

Group B

SAFA Ekurhuleni 0-1 SAFA Tshwane
SAFA Johannesburg 0-0 SAFA Ekurhuleni
SAFA Johannesburg 4-1 SAFA Tshwane

GOALSCORERS

2 goals – Kekgethegile Mohasoa (SAFA Johannesburg)
1 – Gugulethu Mazibuko (Dr BW Vilakazi Secondary), Nthabiseng Mosename (SAFA Tshwane), Lindokuhle Mtshali (SAFA Tshwane), Sibongile Ntoane (SAFA Sedibeng), Angel Sibanda (Dr BW Vilakazi Secondary), Nkamogeleng Tshoke (SAFA Johannesburg), Zara Wilkinson (SAFA Johannesburg)

For further information, please visit:

http://facebook.com/futurechampions

http://instagram.com/FutureChampsU17

  • We had a wonderful football and cultural experience in Gauteng. The tournament and activities were very well organized and we found everyone involved extremely helpful and accommodating. We have all returned home with fantastic memories of our time in South Africa, both on and off the pitch, and have made many new friends as a result of the trip. I hope that we are invited to participate in future tournaments.

    Everton Academy Head Coach

  • The experience both on and off the field for our players during the Future Champions tournament in Gauteng was life-enriching for all those who participated. We were privileged enough to win this edition but what will be bringing us back in future is the cross-cultural education our players receive from spending time with athletes from all over the world. They are human beings before they are football players and enriching them with other cultures is as rewarding as the experience they receive on the field.

    Club Tijuana Director of Football

  • After twenty years of experiencing tournaments around the globe, Future Champions is hands down the best organized, well run International Tournament we have ever participated in. Bringing teams from dozens of different countries provided our boys exposure to cultural diversity they only read about in textbooks. It’s amazing how sport can be the cultural link that provides the opportunity to interact with each other and discover that our global community is a bit smaller than they realized. We had a football and cultural experience that will be cherished for the rest of our lives.

    Director of USYSA Select

  • For us to compete in Future Champions is much more than playing a series of matches. It is an opportunity to compete and contrast our level against the best teams from around the world and the possibility of living in another culture and environment for an unforgettable week, learning about the history of the fight for human rights.

    Director of Aspire Academy

  • The addition of a girls’ competition this year is a natural expansion for what has become a hugely popular event. Over and above the football, the players are also exposed to life-skills courses and HIV/AIDS awareness that could end up saving their lives in the future. We have had an amazing partnership with the Gauteng Province over the last decade and we thank each and every stakeholder for making the Future Champions Gauteng campaign such a huge success

    Tournament director