The Selati Cup’s darlings, Langeloop Blue Crane, will travel to the Kingdom of eSwatini on Saturday July 6, following a special invite by the organisers of the annual King’s Spectacular Cup held there.
Blue Crane made a name for themselves after participating in the annual Selati Cup, where they competed twice in the final of this competition which takes place within the Nkomazi subregion between March and June. They became an instant hit.
Founder and coach, Thokozani Mkhatshwa, said the invitation to go and represent the Ehlanzeni region in eSwatini is an honour they will cherish it for as long as they live.
“It’s such an honour for this young team to be recognised in this manner. We don’t take this invitation for granted. We will go there and represent first our country, then our province, Mpumalanga and the Lowveld region where we come from. We are going there to showcase what kasi football is all about,” said Mkhatshwa.
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Blue Crane boast a number of skilful players, including the former Orlando Pirates skipper, Happy Jele, who joined as a guest player to spice up entertainment on the pitch.
“Just like when we participate in the Selati Cup, I have assembled a strong team with a number of known skilful players. Winning the tournament is not really on our minds; we are going there to showcase what South Africa can offer in terms of football,” said Mkhatshwa.
He added that since the team’s inception, they have attracted support from soccer lovers from all over the province and even in eSwatini. He said the love they have received over the years has made him realise that the province is hungry for a team such as this one and therefore they will soon register to participate in the South African Football Association’s structured leagues.
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“The recent qualification of Kruger United that just got promoted to the National First Division has reawakened our desire to participate in the mainstream leagues and make it to the elite league. We are going to work hard and get this team registered and eligible to participate in the formal leagues,” added Mkhatshwa.
