Day 04 of the 2014 Future Champions Gauteng International Tournament

Johannesburg, Friday, 28th March 2014 –Clube Atletico Mineiro and Club Tijuana will contest the 2014 Future Champions Gauteng International Tournament decider after both won their semi-final matches at the Football Training Centre in Pimville, Soweto on Friday.

The teams have three previous titles between them in the competition and are assured to add a fourth in what should be a pulsating final between two sides with great Latin flair and no shortage of skill.

Defending champions Club Tijuana took a step closer to repeating their 2013 win when they overcame Congolese academy CESD La Djiri 2-1 in the first semi-final.

Daniel Gonzalez and Alexis Villalpando netted for the Mexican team, with Bel Durel Avouno giving CESD some hope in the final stages. But in a high-quality encounter, it was the youngsters from Central American who sealed their final spot.

Clube Atletico Mineiro were made to fight hard by the 10-men of South African side Mamelodi Sundowns, but won through by a slender 1-0 score line.

After the teams were deadlocked at 0-0 at the break, the Brazilian club took the lead just after halftime whenMarco Tulio scored from the rebound after a penalty miss against the crossbar. Sundowns skipper Tebogo Rahlogo was dismissed for his part in the penalty award.

Mineiro held on for the win that puts them into their third final in four years, having won the competition in 2011 and 2012.

The remainder of the sides played off for position based on their final placings in the group stages of the tournament.

Local team SuperSport Tottenham Hotspur Academy and Indian visitors Royal Wahingdoh played to a 1-1 draw in their clash.Thabelo Mulaudzi netted his second goal of the tournament for United, but Sushil Ahongshangbam matched his feat and the game went to a penalty shoot-out.

Royal Wahingdoh held their nerve to triumph 5-3 on spot-kicks.

Dutch club ADO Den Haag had no problem in dispatching USYSA from America 4-0 in their clash, with Jan Verduijn’s brace taking him to the top of the scorers charts in the tournament with four goals in all.

The other players to net for the Dutch were Trevor David and Daude van der Kust.

South African sides Jomo Cosmos and Sunward Park, the only schools team in the competition, played out a hard-fought 0-0 draw in their play-off clash. That took the game to penalties and Cosmos triumphed 5-4 in the shoot-out.

Another game that went to a shoot-out was the clash between Qatar’s Aspire Academy and Toronto FC from Canada as the match ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw.

Ghassen Ben Gharbia and Said El Sayed scored for the Middle East club, but they were pegged back by Tomasz Balicki and Alexander Pena. Toronto triumphed 3-0 in the shoot-out as Aspire failed to convert any of their kicks.

Zambian side K-Stars collected an excellent scalp when they defeated English club Sunderland 3-1. Charles Yande, Patson Daka and a Dan Casey own goal gave the African club the deserved win.

Joshua Robson got the consolation for Sunderland, who are still looking for their first win on South African soil.

Guest side Bidvest Wits defeated 2010 winners Shandong Luneng 5-1 in an exhibition game that had no bearing on the final positions in the competition.

Pu Chen netted for the Asian side, but they found a Wits team in mean mood asSizwe Twala (two), Shungu Dutiro, Mlando Shongwe and Luvuyo Mkatshana scored for them.

Wits will be replaced in Saturday’s fixtures by the Kaizer Chiefs development side.

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

EXHIBITION GAME: Bidvest Wits 5(Sizwe Twala 2, Shungu Dutiro, Mlando Shongwe, Luvuyo Mkatshana)Shandong Luneng 1(Pu Chen)

SuperSport TH Academy 1(Thabelo Mulaudzi)Royal Wahingdoh 1(Sushil Ahongshangbam).Royal Wahingdoh won 5-3 on penalties

ADO Den Haag 4(Jan Verduijn 2, Trevor David, Daude van der Kust)USYSA 0

Jomo Cosmos 0 Sunward Park 0.Cosmos won 5-4 on penalties

Aspire Academy 2(Ghassen Ben Gharbia, Said El Sayed)Toronto FC 2(Tomasz Balicki, Alexander Pena).Toronto won 3-0 on penalties

Sunderland AFC 1(Joshua Robson)K-Stars 3(Charles Yande, Patson Daka, Dan Casey og)

SEMI-FINAL 1: Club Tijuana 2(Daniel Gonzalez, Alexis Villalpando)CESD La Djiri 1(Bel Durel Avouno)

SEMI-FINAL 2: Atletico Mineiro 1(Marco Tulio)Mamelodi Sundowns 0

SATURDAY’S FIXTURES

08.15 – 15th Place Playoff –Kaizer Chiefs (guest team) vs SuperSport TH Academy

09.00 – 13th Place Playoff –Shandong Luneng vs Royal Wahingdoh

09.30 – 11th Place Playoff –Sunward Park vs USYSA Select

10.15 – 3rd Place Playoff –CESD La Djiri vs Mamelodi Sundowns

10.45 – 9th Place Playoff –Jomo Cosmos vs ADO Den Haag

12.00 – 7th Place Playoff –Aspire Academy vs Sunderland AFC

11.45 – 5th Place Playoff –Toronto FC vs K Stars

13.15 – Final –Club Tijuana vs Clube Atletico Mineiro

FINAL STANDINGS

GROUP A P W D L GF GA PTS
CESD La Djiri(Congo) 3 2 0 1 4 3 6 (Q)
Toronto FC (Canada) 3 1 2 0 4 3 5
Shandong Luneng (China) 3 1 1 1 3 3 4
Jomo Cosmos (SA) 3 0 1 2 3 5 1
GROUP B P W D L GF GA PTS
Atletico Mineiro (Brazil) 3 3 0 0 7 2 9
K-Stars (Zambia) 3 1 1 1 3 2 4
ADO Den Haag (Holland) 3 1 1 1 4 4 4
Supersport TH Academy (SA) 3 0 0 3 4 10 0
GROUP C P W D L GF GA PTS
Club Tijuana (Mexico) 3 2 1 0 6 2 7
Aspire Academy (Qatar) 3 1 2 0 4 1 5
Sunward Park (SA) 3 1 1 1 4 2 4
Saki West (Nigeria) 3 0 0 3 0 9 0
GROUP D P W D L GF GA PTS
Mamelodi Sundowns (SA) 3 3 0 0 8 1 9 (Q)
Sunderland (England) 3 0 2 1 3 3 2
USYSA (USA) 3 0 2 1 2 5 2
Royal Wahingdoh (India) 3 0 2 1 1 4 2

GOALSCORERS

4 – Jan Verduijn (ADO Den Haag)

3 – Patson Daka (K-Stars), Lovers Malatsi (Mamelodi Sundowns), Luca Uccello (Toronto FC)

2 – Sushil Ahongshangbam (Royal Wahingdoh), Connor DeFilippis (USYSA), Michel Gafiny (CESD La Djiri), Mpumelelo Hlatshwayo (Mamelodi Sundowns), Keven (Atletico Mineiro), Thabelo Mulaudzi (SuperSport TH Academy), Khomotso Marebane (Jomo Cosmos), Dennis van der Heijden (ADO Den Haag), Own Goals
1 – Adson (Clube Atletico Mineiro), Bel Durel Avouno (CESD La Djiri), Tianci Bai (Shandong Luneng), Tomasz Balicki (Toronto FC), Ghassen Ben Gharbia (Aspire Academy), Levy Berry (Sunward Park), Bruno (Atletico Mineiro), Cesar (Atletico Mineiro), Pu Chen (Shandong Luneng), Thabang Chuene (Mamelodi Sundowns), Trevor David (ADO Den Haag), Athenkosi Dladla (SuperSport TH Academy), Said El Sayed (Aspire Academy), Flavino (Atletico Mineiro), Daniel Gonzalez (Club Tijuana), Joao Victor (Atletico Mineiro), Li Liu (Shandong Luneng), Tshepiso Mbongwa (Mamelodi Sundowns), Mthokozisi Mngadi (SuperSport United), Kagiso Moshtetsi (Jomo Cosmos), Enock Mwepu (K-Stars), Andrew Nelson (Sunderland), Notha Ngcobo (Mamelodi Sundowns), Karabo Nkoana (SuperSport United), Lionel Ondongo Opera (CESD La Djiri), Alexander Pena (Toronto FC), Daniel Pybus (Sunderland), Joshua Robson (Sunderland), Juan Rodriguez (Club Tijuana), Yves Tchicaya (CESD La Djiri), Kevin Timachy (Toronto FC), Marco Tulio (Atletico Mineiro), Daude van der Kust (ADO Den Haag), Marco Vargas (Club Tijuana), Brandon Vazquez (Club Tijuana), Alexis Villalpando (Club Tijuana), Charles Yande (K-Stars)

To download photos of the event, please go to – www.usfirstmedia.photoshelter.com

  • 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