Tournament football offers spectacular possibilities but with it despairing defeat.
Panorama Football Club made the short trip to Judith Road to take part in the Gauteng leg of the Engen Knockout Challenge on July 2 and 3. The prestigious club competition is approaching its 20th year and serves as the benchmark of youth development competition in the country. Panorama’s qualification for the tournament was impressive, recording clean sheets in all four qualification games, giving them confidence going into the big weekend.
Setting themselves the objective of topping their group, a 1–0 win against Orlando Pirates made that possible but a slip-up against Soweto United and another win against JDR Stars left them tied with Pirates on points but with an inferior goal difference. They would be pitted against Mamelodi Sundowns in their quarter-final and after more trademark defence, a goalless draw would send the tie to penalties. Keeping their composure best from the spot, Sundowns would move to the semis with a 4–2 shootout win.
Positional places were then up for grabs and Panorama restored some pride by beating rivals Randburg AFC 1–0 in a sweet derby win. Penalties would again be their nemesis as a 1–1 draw with Black Aces needed to be decided with a shootout. Going to sudden-death, Black Aces would win the spot-kick lottery 6–5, leaving Panorama with the sixth place finish, a remarkable achievement for the club.
Panorama was the only amateur club at the tournament to field both male and female teams. Unfortunately, the bulk of the Panorama Ladies squad were in Cape Town with their district team so they fielded a far younger outfit. The girls had a tough tournament and had the misfortune of being drawn in the same group as eventual finalists, JVW FC and University of Johannesburg (UJ). After finishing bottom of their group, they would suffer a 5–0 trouncing by Motshana Ladies in the positional playoff. In the ladies final, UJ would take home the trophy with a 2–0 win over JVW FC.
The men’s final would be between Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns, who needed another penalty shootout to get past SuperSport United in the semifinals. A 1–1 draw meant more drama from 12 yards, with three times not being the charm for Masandawana as the Glamour Boys showed their mental fortitude to walk away 2022 Engen Knockout Challenge champions.
Noting that the margins between progress and elimination were minuscule, Panorama’s technical director Roman Schröder remarked, “What was evident for me is the need for experience in big moments. You could sense the body language and temperament that come with carrying the badge of the big clubs. They are used to being in the spotlight and that is something these tournaments give us.”
The target for the remainder of 2022 is for all teams to finish in the top eight of the Gauteng Development League, a position that would qualify them for the league’s playoffs and a shot at the title. Using the character-building experience to increase depth and continuity, Roman stressed the bulk of the squad will be eligible to return to next year’s Engen Knockout, hopeful that the footballing gods will spare them the heartaches of knockout football.
