Top Gauteng sides battle it out for provincial crown

The Gauteng Provincial Government is proud to once again host South Africa’s first of a kind football tournament, the Gauteng Champion of Champions.

Popularly positioned as the cricket’s T20 and Rugby 7s of football, the tournament was launched on 20 October and will once again feature three quality Premier Soccer League teams, in reigning Gauteng champions and 2016 Nedbank Cup Champions SuperSport United; Bidvest Wits, the reigning 2016 MTN 8 Champions; and Highlands Park, the National First Division (NFD) Playoffs Champions in a round robin competition.

The 2nd edition of the tournament makes a return to the Tsakane Stadium on 13 November, where fans are expected to be treated to a full family day of football action by three teams vying to be crowned champions of Gauteng.

Football fans in and around Gauteng will once again enjoy a first of its kind format of high-paced football action where all three teams take each other on in a 45-minute match. This leaves the teams with no choice but to go for an all out attack for the enjoyment of the fans. Replacing the traditional penalty shootout if matches end in a draw, there will be the ‘dribble out’ concept, where a player starts further back from the penalty spot and has 10 seconds to beat the goalkeeper.

All this will be over and above the local entertainment by some of Ekurhuleni’s best artists and dancers to ensure that fans enjoy a full family day from early in the morning right up until the final match later in the day.

Speaking at the launch, Gauteng MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Faith Mazibuko, urged fans to come out in their numbers in support of the tournament and that fans need not worry about leaving the stadium for refreshments, as local vendors will have kiosks for various food and drinks.

“As the province of champions, Gauteng prides itself in developing such initiatives that not only bring excitement to our province but demonstrate that we are a government that truly cares and understands the needs of our community.

“This is a tournament that we want Gauteng citizens to be proud of and it can only grow with their support. We, therefore, call upon the people of Gauteng, and Ekurhuleni in particular, to come out in their numbers in support of the tournament,” Mazibuko said.

Gauteng Champion of Champion draw:

3pm Match 1 – Bidvest Wits v SuperSport Utd

4pm Match 2 – Loser Match 1 v Highlands Park

5pm Match 3 – Highlands Park v Winner of Match 1

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