Alexandra’s Juventus FC is through to the last 16 of the Maimane Alfred Phiri Games (Map Games) after it outgunned fellow Kasi side Gunners 3–1 at the dusty Rotary Grounds.
Juventus is in its 12th-year of participation in the Map Games and it was a brace from the boot of Celani Shabangu in the first half and a third in the second half from Ronald Fulufhelo that secured Juventus’ march into the last 16.
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This is the 18th edition of the annual tournament that has a juniors and seniors division. The juniors is composed of teams that ply their trade in the Alexandra Northrand Local Football Association and the final was held on Youth Day on 16 June at the Number 3 Square Grounds. The seniors is made up of teams from all over the country, some from as far afield as Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.
The final of the seniors is provisionally scheduled for 4 August at the Alexandra Stadium which is assured of being packed to the rafters on the day, as has been the case for the past 10 years. The winner stands to pocket more than R200 000 in prize money.
In the Juventus-Gunners clash, Gunners had all the possession but failed to put the ball into the back of the net on numerous occasions. They did get onto the scoresheet after a Lucky Mnidigni strike on the stroke of full time.
This was too little too late to dent the ego of a gritty Juventus which had two other goals disallowed for offside, one each from both scorers, Fulufhelo and Shabangu.
Juventus owner Leonard Sithole said he was overjoyed by the victory.
“I have assembled a very strong side which I am confident will go all the way,” he said.
“Their performance today was nothing but just a taste of things to come. This was their first game and as they grow in confidence, they will be unstoppable.”
Gunners coach Sechaba Mothibi, though disappointed with the early exit, was full of praise for his young side which has just won promotion to the Safa Promotional League which is the first rung of the arduous journey to the Absa Premiership.
“It’s a young side with a lot of potential,” he said.
“It was even evident in this game as they had the biggest chunk of ball possession but, unfortunately, that alone does not win you matches.
You need to put more balls in the net than your opponents in order to win and this did not happen for us today.
“I take the game as a learning curve and preparation of the boys for what lies ahead in the tough Safa Promotional League. I think we also need to be clinical in front of goals and if we can do that, I am sure we can make the Safa League look like a Sunday morning picnic in the park.”
