The Future Champions Gauteng International Tournament Semi-Finals

Local side Bidvest Wits will take on Spanish LaLiga giants Atletico Madrid in Saturday’s final of the Future Champions Gauteng International Tournament after both won their semi-final matches at the Football Training Centre in Pimville, Soweto.

The prestigious junior competition for Under-17 teams, now in its eighth year, sees 12 clubs from across the globe compete for the coveted prize and the opportunity to be crowned champions.
Atletico Madrid secured their place in the final with a hard-fought 1-0 success over local favourites Orlando Pirates.

Joaquin Munoz got the all-important goal and try as they might, Pirates could not get back in the game.

Wits become the second South African side in successive years into the final after SuperSport United fell just short in 2015.

They needed goals from Shungu Dutiro, his fifth of the tournament, and Edson Khumalo to defeat Mexican side Club Tijuana, who had Edgar Lopez to thank for their goal.

Both finalists are seeking their first win in the competition, while Wits are also aiming to become the first local side to lift the coveted trophy.

The deciding match will kick-off at 13h00.

Mamelodi Sundowns created history when they claimed the biggest victory ever in the Future Champions Gauteng International Tournament with an 11-0 thumping of Mozambican side Ferroviario de Maputo.

Siphamandla Ntuli jumped to the top of the tournament scoring charts with six goals in the game, to go with a brace each from Pitso Tlotlego and Likhanyile Ndlendle. Musawenkosi Mdhluli got the other goal.

The previous highest score was a 7-0 victory for Ghana side Nania FC over local side Mohloli Secondary School in 2012.

Defending champions Torino may no longer be in contention to defend their crown, but they did claim a 1-0 playoff success over Belgian side Club Brugge. Alessandro Iacuaniello got his fourth goal of the tournament for the Italians.

Three-time winners Clube Atletico Mineiro are also out of the running for silverware this season but continued on their winning ways with a 1-0 victory over Chinese side Shandong Luneng.

The last play-off game was an all-South African affair as Kaizer Chiefs edged Black Aces 1-0 thanks to a goal from Lebohang Lesako.

Also played on Friday was the final of the Future Champions Gauteng Schools Cup, which was won by Rosina Sedibane Modiba Sport School after a 1-0 success over Clapham High School.

The only goal of the game was scored by David Mosako as Rosina Sedibane claimed the title for the first time.

The Future Champions Gauteng International Tournament has once again been given an extra edge with local schools adopting one of the 12 competing team as their own, with the intention of rallying support for their side.

There are two schools left in contention for the prize of soccer merchandise to boost their own football programme – Winnie-Ngwekazi Primary School are the school of Bidvest Wits and Motjoli Primary School will be behind Atletico Madrid.

This year’s Future Champions Gauteng tournament will also be supported by the Gauteng Gambling Board, the Spanish LaLiga, the Clinix Health Group, Sedgars’ Winner brand, Levati Water, Motordeal and Score energy drinks.

LaLiga will also be hosting the three winners of the Future Players Talent Identification programme, as well as the most promising coach, that is being run in conjunction with the Future Champions Gauteng tournament.

FRIDAY’S RESULTS
Club Brugge 0 Torino 1 (Alessandro Iacuaniello)
Shandong Luneng 0 Atletico Mineiro 1 (Alerrandro)

Ferroviario Maputo 0 Mamelodi Sundowns 11 (Pitso Tlotlego 2, Likhanyile Ndlendle 2, Musawenkosi Mdhluli, Siphamandla Ntuli 6)
Black Aces 0 Chiefs 1 (Lebohang Lesako)

Semi-finals:

Orlando Pirates 0 Atletico Madrid 1 (Joaquin Munoz)

Club Tijuana 1 (Edgar Lopez) Bidvest Wits 2 (Shungu Dutiro, Edson Khumalo)

FINAL STANDINGS

GROUP A P W D L GF GA PTS
Orlando Pirates (SA) 3 2 1 0 5 2 7

Atletico Mineiro (Brazil) 3 2 0 1 4 4 6

Kaizer Chiefs (SA) 3 0 1 2 1 4 1

GROUP B P W D L GF GA PTS

Club Tijuana (Mexico) 3 1 1 1 3 2 4

Club Brugge (Belgium) 3 1 1 1 1 1 4

Mamelodi Sundowns (SA) 3 0 2 1 2 3 2

GROUP C P W D L GF GA PTS

Atletico Madrid (Spain) 3 3 0 0 5 0 9

Shandong Luneng (China) 3 0 1 2 2 5 1

Black Aces (SA) 3 0 1 2 1 4 1
GROUP D P W D L GF GA PTS
BidVest Wits (SA) 3 2 1 0 8 2 7

Torino (Italy) 3 2 1 0 7 2 7

Ferroviario Maputo (Moz) 3 0 0 3 1 11 0

TOURNAMENT STATS
Matches played: 23
Goals scored: 57
Biggest victory: Ferroviario Maputo 0 Mamelodi Sundowns 11
Most goals in a game: 11 – Ferroviario Maputo 0 Mamelodi Sundowns 11

GOALSCORERS

6 goals – Siphamandla Ntuli (Mamelodi Sundowns)

5 – Shungu Dutiro (BidVest Wits)

4 – Alessandro Iacuaniello (Torino), Pitso Tlotlego (Mamelodi Sundowns)
2 – Alerrandro (Atletico Mineiro), Andy (Atletico Madrid), Nahuel Jose Busato (Torino), Oscar Clemente (Atletico Madrid), Lyle Foster (Orlando Pirates), Edson Khumalo (BidVest Wits), Lebohang Lesako (Kaizer Chiefs), Daniel Lopez (Club Tijuana), Edgar Lopez (Club Tijuana), Agostino Rizzo (Torino)

1 – Andrew (Atletico Mineiro), Ethan Andrews (BidVest Wits), Katlego Cwinyane (Orlando Pirates), Diego de Carvalho (Black Aces), Sibusiso Dlamini (BidVest Wits), Murad-Han Gonen (Club Brugge), Igor (Atletico Mineiro), Indio (Atletico Mineiro), Muzomuhle Khanyi (BidVest Wits), Changqi Liu (Shandong Luneng), Chaoyang Liu (Shandong Luneng), Thabiso Monyane (Club Brugge), Joaquin Munoz (Atletico Madrid), Likhanyile Ndlendle (Mamelodi Sundowns), Njabulo Ngcobo (Orlando Pirates), Guille Niero (Atletico Madrid), Luis Sitoe (Ferroviario Maputo)

  • 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