Carling League of Champions is off to a thriller
The finals of the Carling League Champions will be played at the Nike Centre.
IT was all systems go this past weekend as the 2014 Carling League of Champions got off to a flying start in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday June 7 and Sunday June 8 respectively. The third edition of the Carling Black Label sponsored tournament kept fans in awe with some jaw-dropping football action that was accompanied by many goals.
Braving the freezing temperatures, fans in and around the communities of Tembisa and Umlazi showed their love for the beautiful game as they rallied behind their teams to represent their region in the Finals Weekend to be played at the Nike Centre, Soweto July 5 and 6.
A lot was expected from the two-time defending champions from Tsakane, Pietersburg XI, who disappointingly bowed out 1-0 in a fiercely contested match against Sbu’s Boys from Vosloorus. The defending champions were all over their opponents and looked set for a record third time Finals appearance in the tournament, until a late strike from Vuyani Zweni dashed their title ambitions.
The boys from Vosloorus, who are debutants in this tournament, went on to meet the Tembisa-based Amaplanka FC, whom they edged 5–4 on penalties after a pulsating 1–1 draw in regulation time to book their place in the Champions Finals.
The action moved down to KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday, where supporters in and around Umlazi were highly entertained the football talent on display. No KZN team has lifted the coveted Carling League of Champions trophy since its inception, and this created more determination from KZN teams. The fans were firmly glued to the eye-gripping action, and it was after some scintillating group stage matches that Amagents FC from eMzinto and Umlazi-based Thafeni FC locked horns in the finals.
Thafeni FC were well on course to the Champions Finals in Soweto, after leading by a goal from a Steven Khumalo penalty in the first half, but it was not to be for the home-based side, when Melusi Matu broke his opponent’s hearts after converting a penalty in the dying minutes of the game.
Thafeni FC did not walk away empty-handed, as target man Luyanda Hlongwa walked away with the top goal scorer award, after hitting the back of the net nine times. This was accompanied by an impressive one-year PUMA football apparel hamper, which is a first in the tournament.
The Carling League of Champions now heads to the Turfhall Sports Grounds in Cape Town on Sunday June 15.
