All eyes will be on Sebayeng Big 4 Football Club and Makotopong Brazil on Saturday when they take on each other during the finals of the 2019 Solly Malatsi (SM) Legacy Foundation top 32 knock-out challenge on the sport field of Madiga Junior Chiefs in Ga-Dikgale.
Both teams have had a magnificent run throughout the tournament to eliminate the 30 other teams.
Sebayeng Big 4 demonstrated their big match temperament with gutsy performances that saw them scoring crucial goals in the dying minutes of their matches. Despite their often shaky defence which saw them concede three soft goals on their road to the final, once they score a leading goal they have never allowed a team to equalize.
Makotopong Brazil on the other hand has shown their pedigree with consistent clinical performances. They scored a whopping 12 goals while conceding only two in four matches played in the tournament. Their two deadly strikers, Steven Mokgohlo and Tanzanian international, Anderson Baker collectively netted nine goals. The fact that their technical team used the same starting line-up for four consecutive matches reinforced their consistency.
Sebayeng Big 4 coach, Killer Mashangoane is confident that his boys have what it takes to be crowned SM Legacy Foundation soccer tournament champions. “We watched all of Brazil’s games. We studied how they play. We have seen their strength and identified their weaknesses which we will manipulate. This has been the toughest tournament our team has ever competed in and we are proud to have reached the finals. We believe we can win it,” Mashangoane remarked.
Makotopong Brazil’s captain, Zeeto Mabitsela emphasised that it was going to be a competitive final match and reckoned Big 4 was hungry for a revenge as they beat Big 4 several times in various soccer tournaments. He further said “We are hungry for this trophy and this tournament has been a great pre-season preparation for the ABC Motsepe League.”
SM Legacy Foundation tournament match commissioner Sedupe Mamaregane congratulated both teams for reaching the finals and thanked all the other participating teams for what has been spectacular festival of football so far.
Quarter-finals results
• Sebayeng Big 4 (4) vs Letona FC (1).
• Flora Park Juventus (2) vs Tau-Tau (0).
• Rembuluwani Freedom Fighters (1) vs Makotopong Brazil (6).
• Ndengeza FC (0) vs Makokonong Blue Birds (0).
• Blue Birds win 4-2 on penalties.
Semifinals results
• Sebayeng Big 4 (1) vs Flora Park Juventus (0).
• Makotopong Brazil (2) vs Makokonong Blue Birds (1).
Story: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za
