Alex Black Aces, which has its home base in Linksfield and boasts of development players mainly from Alex, will be one of 16 teams vying for the Gauteng championship of the Engen Knockout Challenge 2019.
The three-day tournament for the U18 divisions of various clubs in Gauteng will be held at the Wits Marks Park Stadium on 19 July, with the final scheduled for 21 July.
A draw of the teams that will vying for the championship was conducted at the Wits Sport Conference Centre in Braamfontein on 5 July.
Four teams that made it to the semi-finals in last year’s challenge were seeded and they are Bidvest Wits, Highlands Park, Stars of Africa and Orlando Pirates.
In an interview with Alex News, Alex Black Aces Academy director Tony Dias said the team was looking forward to a good performance this time around with the hope of reaching the semis.
“The team boasts of talented players that we’re eager to expose to the big stages of developmental football as we nurture and prepare them for the big team which currently plays in the ABC Motsepe League.
“Our chances are good in the coming tournament but we’re looking to next year to mount a serious challenge for the honour. We have been participating in this challenge for some time now and I think it’s high time that we make a statement on the pitch,” Dias said.
Dias added that they have assembled a new squad and hence they were giving it about a year to familiarise themselves with the tournament before mounting a challenge for honours next year.
Besides Alexandra, Aces recruits players from other places such as Tembisa, Boksburg, Benoni and other areas of Ekurhuleni.
Another Linksfield-based club Highlands Park, which has Balfour Park as its training ground, was not represented at the draw.
Group A:
Highlands Park
SuperSport United
Kathorus FC
Kaizer Chiefs.
Group B:
Stars of Africa Academy
School of Excellence Academy
Mamelodi Sundowns
Wits Junior FC.
Group C:
Orlando Pirates
Alex Black Aces
Tuks FC
Jomo Cosmos.
Group D:
Bidvest Wits
Transition FC
Arcadia Shepherds
Panorama FC.
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