Makotopong Brazil football club beat Sebayeng Big 4 soccer team 2-0 in the finals of the 2019 Solly Malatsi (SM) Legacy Foundation top 32 knock-out challenge hosted at Madiga Junior Chiefs sport field in Ga-Dikgale on Sunday.
Makokonong Blue Birds finished the tournament in third place after beating Flora Park Juventus 4-2 on penalties following a dull 0-0 draw. The final match was preceded by an exhibition game of women’s football between Capricorn Stars Sports Ladies and Fast Feet Development Centre (FFDC) Ladies. Capricorn Stars thrashed FFDC 4-0 to win the inaugural women’s football edition of the tournament.
The exciting final, themed ‘Battle of the Brothers’ for featuring the Sethole siblings Moraka and Silver from Madiga village on opposite sides, had the crowd on their feet most of the time. In the end it was the younger brother, Silver, who emerged victorious after two major blunders by the Sebayeng Big 4 goalkeeper, Lehumo Majoro, from set pieces gifted Brazil their two goals.
From the moment Majoro mishandled a free-kick by Brazil’s left back to concede an early goal, he never recovered despite several attempts by his team-mates and the technical team to console him.
After the opening goal, Brazil dominated the match preventing Big 4 from creating goal scoring opportunities. The Sebayeng side tried to put Brazil under pressure with their attacks in the beginning of the second half but their resolute defence, which only conceded two goals throughout the tournament, was unbreakable.
Brazil proceeded to score their second goal from a free kick which was calmly converted by their ruthless Tanzanian international, Anderson Mbaga after another costly error by the teenage Majoro.
It was a clinical performance from Brazil who played the entire tournament with the same starting eleven for all their games, scoring the highest number of goals (14) and conceding the joint fewest number of goals (2).
SM Legacy Foundation Chairperson Solly Malatsi was pleased with the success of this year’s tournament: “Our team is proud that we were able to execute the biggest sport festival since our formation three years ago. We are also doing our part to promote the development of women’s football which is the reason we scheduled the women’s match before the final game. It was also important for us to raise awareness about gender based violence and xenophobia given the developments in our country and to showcase the power of sport to unite people and make a difference in the society. We are very grateful to all our partners including Polokwane Observer for their incredible support to make our tournament the major grassroots sport development initiative it is. Lastly we thank all the fans who packed Madiga Junior Chiefs sport field for the past five weeks to enjoy entertaining football.”
Individual award winners
Best Goalkeeper – Andries Bopape – Makokonong Blue Birds.
Best Defender – Mish Mamabolo – Flora Park Juventus.
Best Midfielder – Thapelo Morata Mohlakantshi – Makokonong Blue Birds.
Best Young Player – Junior Mudau – Rembuluwani Freedom Fighters.
Top Goal Scorer – Anderson Mbaga – Makotopong Brazil.
Chairman’s Fair Player Award – Zeeto Mabitsela – Makotopong Brazil.
Best Player of the Tournament – Moraka Sethole – Sebayeng Big 4.
Best Coach of the Tournament – Chippa Boshomane – Makotopong Brazil.
Supporter of the Tournament – Melato Rapetsoa.
Story and photos: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za
