The 2019 edition of the Solly Malatsi (SM) Legacy Foundation soccer tournament promises to be a massive festival of grass-roots football in the province. The challenge is scheduled to kick off at two different sport fields in Ga-Dikgale on the weekend.
The first round of the top 32 competition will be played at Madiga Junior Chiefs and Vultures sport fields. Since its establishment three years ago the tournament has grown from an eight team contest to a 32 team knock-out challenge.
With so many teams competing for the coveted first prize of R50 000 the contest has attracted a number of the province’s semi-professional football giants including Ndengeza FC, Ollesdas FC and Makotopong Brazil who will be competing in the province’s ABC Motsepe League. This year’s edition has attracted teams from as far as Thohoyandou, Moletjie, Ga-Sekgopo and Gauteng.
Speaking at the draw for the tournament at Morutwa Secondary School on Sunday, SM Legacy Foundation Chairperson Solly Malatsi was upbeat about the magnitude of this year’s competition: “We are exciting about this year’s knock-out challenge. The fact that we have attracted some of the biggest community, amateur and semi-professional football clubs from different parts of the province shows that we are on track of realising our objective to become Limpopo’s premier grass-roots soccer platform.”
Malatsi acknowledged his team for putting together all the logistics for their biggest tournament to date under just five weeks. He added that they were grateful to their partners who have been with them since the inception of the competition. The fixtures for the first round promise to produce some hotly contested games as defending champions, Makotopong Giant Aces will face tournament newcomers Sebayeng Barcelona in the opening match.
The most anticipated match of the first round will see newly promoted ABC Motsepe League side, Makotopong Brazil take on their home-boys Makgato FC, who has a reputation for assembling some of the finest players around the province for tournaments.
Saturday fixtures
Ground A (Madiga Junior Chiefs)
Makotopong Giant Aces vs Barcelona – 09:30.
Mahlallane Peace Lovers vs Juventus – 11:30.
Lebowa Grasshoppers vs Ndengeza – 13:30.
Letona va AS Roma – 15:30.
Ground B (Vultures)
Ricardo vs Sekgopo City Rocks – 09:30.
Heroes vs Mashashane PSG – 11:30.
SuperSport vs Rembulani Freedom Fighters – 13:30.
Mahwelereng vs Ollesdas – 15:30.
Sunday fixtures
Ground A (Madiga Junior Chiefs)
Super Eagles vs Mantheding Swallows – 09:30.
Tjale Yellow Tigers vs Makakanka Rekaofela – 11:30.
Makotopong Brazil vs Makgato – 13:30.
Madiga Junior Chiefs vs Limpopo City – 15:30.
Ground B (Vultures)
Dikgale United vs Makeketela Liverpool – 09:30.
Manchester United vs Blue Birds – 11:30.
Tau-Tau vs Sebayeng Zebras – 13:30.
Sebayeng Big4 vs Seshego – 15:30.
Story and photos: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za
