SuperSport to begin defence of their title
JOBURG - SuperSport United's U17 team will begin the defence of the Engen Champ of Champs when the participating teams are drawn on 30 September.
Organisers expect soccer of the highest calibre to be played at this tournament as it pits the five regional winners of the Engen Knockout Challenge plus host club SuperSport against each other.
The Champ of Champs kicks off on 9 October and runs until 11 October when the country’s top U17 football team will be determined at a venue still to be announced.
This year’s event features AmaZulu, Chippa United, Ajax Cape Town, Mamelodi Sundowns, Harmony Academy and hosts SuperSport.
For Durban-based AmaZulu, this year’s Engen Champ of Champs affords them the chance to improve on their disappointing fifth place finish last year. Usuthu beat Golden Arrows 2-1 to retain their provincial crown back in July. Their coach, Samkelo Ngubane, said his charges were looking forward to the national tournament but were mindful of the magnitude of the task ahead of them.
“I think the boys really came to the party in the provincial tournament, which was my first run as head coach, and I think they executed my ideas effectively. It won’t be easy, but if they do the same at the Champ of Champs, I firmly believe that we will surprise many,” Ngubane said.
Tasneem Sulaiman-Bray, Engen’s general manager for corporate affairs, said the company was privileged to provide a platform for the football stars of tomorrow to showcase their talents.
“The Engen Knockout Challenge and the Engen Champ of Champs, year-on-year, are rich nurseries for the brightest South African football talent, with many of the players realising their dreams and going on to greater things in the sport,” Sulaiman-Bray said.
Engen’s group sponsorship manager, Brad Bergh, said this year’s five regional Engen Knockout Challenge events have again been extremely successful, producing football of the highest order.
“I have no doubt that the action at the Engen Champ of Champs will also be fierce and a spectacle that Engen is honoured to be associated with,” Bergh added.
Details: Candice George 073 782 8935; candice@openfield.co.za
