Goals galore as Keps take down St David’s

King Edward VII Preparatory School (Keps) narrowly pipped St David’s Marist Inanda 3–2 in a scintillating soccer encounter to reach the final of the Discovery Knockout Cup U13 boys division.

The game was played at Sacred Heart College, Observatory, on 8 August in front of parents and spectators. This while other U9–U14 boys and girls teams from schools across Joburg played in semi-finals at the college.

There were goals galore on the day, and few games were as intense as this match, as the ball was played back and forth by determined youngsters eager for a win.

Both teams pushed hard for goals and with the level of intensity seen, few could believe it was already half-time when the whistle was blown with Keps leading 2–1.

Players, aware of the need to maintain concentration in the fast and fiery encounter, threw themselves at the ball in the second half. St David’s reaped the reward of a team attack after a free kick and equalised.

But Keps’ relentless runs down the sides and middle finally led to the winning goal on a break. The players celebrated as passionately as they played.

“Initiatives like the Discovery Knockout Cup are aimed at promoting participation in school sport and developing upcoming football stars,” said Dr Craig Nossel, head of Vitality Wellness at DisArsenal

Aresenal Football Club academy coaches Rupen Shah and Moaz Awadelkarim also made the journey from the UK to bear witness to South Africa’s soccer talent and help with drills and skills training between games.

“The key values of Arsenal are attitude, respect, skill, energy, new thinking, all for one, and learning,” said Shah. “I have not seen one player pass through here who has not displayed these.”

Keps will play against King David Linksfield in the U13 boys final on 15 August.

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