Fresh from their successful defence of their crown in the Maimane Alfred Phiri (Map) Games 2016, Malandela Mighty Heroes U17 team have set their sights on defending yet another trophy.
The two-time champions of the Map Games are out to defend the Alexandra leg of the Nelson Mandela Cup which they won last year. The Mandela Cup is in celebration of the birth on 18 July of the world’s leading former statesman and South Africa’s first democratically elected president.
The cup competition coincides with what has become known as Mandela Day on 18 July in which people all over the world, and especially here at home, are asked to give of their time to attend to the needs of the less fortunate in the communities around them.
Speaking soon after the victory of his two teams, the U15s and U17s in the Map Games at the No 3 Square Grounds, talented youthful coach Vincent Rammoni said he was delighted to have successfully defended the Map Games title with his U17 team and added new division champions, the U15s.
Mighty Heroes had two championship teams last year, the U13s and U17s, but this year the U13 team was beaten in the semis on penalties to new kids on the block, the equally talented side of Alex Royal Tigers which is owned and coached by yet another youthful mentor, Thembinkosi ‘Tiger’ Matholengwe.
“From here we’re going straight to the drawing board to map our strategy of defending the Mandela Cup,” said Rammoni who has been nicknamed ‘Young Master’ by his players
because of his youth.
“We’re going straight to our hard training sessions in preparation for that trophy too.
“This time, we want to go all the way to win the regional finals of this cup where we were knocked out pretty early and I hope my boys learnt their lesson there and will use it to the best of their advantage.”
The Young Master added that they would also like to defend their championship title in the Alexandra Northrand Local Football Association League.
“Our training sessions have been turned into cup finals as we have so many targets that we have set ourselves as a club, teams, players and technical staff, and with God on our side, anything is possible,” he said.
