Countdown begins for soccer champs’ New York trip
Karabo Litabe, a Royal Eagles player has donated soccer balls and other training equipment to the team.
IN less than two weeks, Mophela Primary School’s under-12 soccer team will be jetting off to New York City to play in the Danone Nations Cup World finals.
The final paperwork is being competed, which are the visas for the USA and then the packing will start.
The South Africans are in a tough section for the preliminary rounds, grouped with the UAE, England and Indonesia and coach, Siyabonga Ndimande, has warned the boys that none of them can be taken lightly and that winning the preliminary stage games is essential to put the team through to the top half of the tournament for the second round.
The team has been training at the Mpumalanga Stadium in Hammarsdale to give the players experience of practicing on a good surface, similar to the ones they will be playing on in the USA.
Karabo Litabe, Royal Eagles player, a Durban-based National First Division Club, read about Mophela and has donated soccer balls and other training equipment to the team.
“He has also offered to assist the coaches and team at a few training sessions and has donated goalposts to the school. He can give the boys valuable insight into playing in such tournaments,” said Ndimande.
The boys have been working hard and are looking forward to a mind-broadening experience.
“Meeting international players, learning new techniques and seeing another part of the world are all experiences of a lifetime,” added Ndimande.
There will be 32 countries participating in the 18th edition of the ‘Kids’ World Cup’.
It is a unique experience based on fundamental values that Danone has created over the years – humanity, openness, pleasure of the game and fair play.
The tournament has given millions of children the opportunity of believing in their dreams and being heroes of a story they will never forget.
The preliminary games will kick-off on Friday, 22 September with the finals on Sunday, 24 September.
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