Orlando Pirates fives were crowned champions of the 2022 Kings of Jozi five-a-side tournament on May 21 at Astroplex Sports Arena.
The Buccaneers beat Sundowns 2-1 in a nail-biting final to clinch the trophy.
In true futsal style, both teams displayed flair, tremendous fighting spirit and great tactical and technical ability in the final to keep spectators on the edge of their seats.
Both teams cruised through the group phase and quarter-finals with ease. In the last four, Pirates defeated Dream Team 4-1 while Sundowns beat Nigel Sporting by the same score-line to set up a dream final.
The 2019 World Futsal Championship semi-finalists continued with their scintillating performance that won the hearts of the spectators. Sundowns showed grit to take the game to the Pirates, but in the end, the Buccaneers walked away with the trophy and R7 500 prize money while Sundowns went home with R2 500 and runners-up medals.
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Pirates’ Kyle Koert received the player of the tournament award while Sundowns’ Brandon Nyoni was the goalkeeper of the tournament.
The tournament attracted 18 five-a-side teams from across the province. Astroplex chairman Abdul Rehman Sibda was impressed with the turnout.
“I want to thank all the teams for braving the cold weather to play in this tournament, ensuring that the 2022 edition was even better than last year.
“I also want to thank our sponsor for continuing to support football and youth development in Gauteng. With the success of this event, I’m excited about the upcoming tournaments we have planned for the rest of the year, which will include juniors, girls and school events.”
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