It was goals galore at on the first day of action at the 2015 SAFA U17 Boys National Championships, which is currently underway at the Nike Football Training Centre.
The tournament runs from 7-12 July, funded by the 2010 FIFA World Cup Legacy Trust.
This is the second year running that the event is held – won by Bidvest Wits, who are back again alongside invited club sides Mamelodi Sundowns and Mpumalanga Aces.
Nine matches were played and Sundowns were the biggest winners – scoring six without reply past the Eastern Cape. They followed up their good start with a 2-nil victory against Limpopo, who had earlier defeated Northern Cape by the same margin.
The tournament runs from 7-12 July, funded by the 2010 FIFA World Cup Legacy Trust.
This is the second year running that the event is held – won by Bidvest Wits, who are back again alongside invited club sides Mamelodi Sundowns and Mpumalanga Aces.
Nine matches were played and Sundowns were the biggest winners – scoring six without reply past the Eastern Cape. They followed up their good start with a 2-nil victory against Limpopo, who had earlier defeated Northern Cape by the same margin.
A total of 30 goals were scored on the first day of action, with Sundowns grabbing eight of those in two matches – Keabetswe Mokwena getting three to become the leading goal scorer.
North West came close as they won 4-2 against Free State, while the defending champions, Bidvest Wits, made their intentions clear with convincing 3-nil victory over KwaZulu Natal.
Earlier in the day Mpumalanga Aces made a remarkable come back from two goals down, but could not hold on and lost 3-2 to hosts Gauteng, while the Mpumalanga Province managed a 1-all draw against Western Cape.
The Cape derby between Eastern Cape and Northern produced no winner as they finished 1-all.
The last match of the day was The Battle of the East - Mpumalanga Aces vs Mpumalanga Province – but neither will be able to claim bragging rights as they ended in a 1-all stalemate.
Sundowns are odds on favourite to qualify for the last eight as they have amassed six points in Group A, closely followed by Limpopo on three points while Northern Cape and Eastern Cape are tied at one-point apiece.
In Group B the race to proceed to the semi-final seems to be between Wits and North West who are joint on three points each – but Wits has a better goal difference. Free State and KwaZulu Natal have not collected any points – all teams have played one match each.
Mpumalanga Aces is in danger of not making it into the last four after one draw and a defeat, which has left them with just one point at the bottom of Group C. At the top is Gauteng with three points after playing one match while Mpumalanga Province is second with two points from two games. Third is Western Cape.
Nine provinces are taking part in the tournament together with three invited club sides Sundowns, Aces and Wits – to bring the number of teams in the event to 12.
Group A Group B Group C
Mamelodi Sundowns Bidvest Wits Mpumalanga Aces
Limpopo North West Mpumalanga
Eastern Cape KwaZulu Natal Gauteng
Northern Cape Free State Western Cape
RESULTS:
Day 2 – Wednesday, 8 July 2015 (Group Stages)
Match No: Field
3. Mpumalanga Aces 2-3 Gauteng B
4. Mpumalanga 1-1 Western Cape A
1. M. Sundowns 6-0 Eastern Cape A
2. Limpopo 2-0 Northern Cape B
5. Bidvest Wits 3-0 KwaZulu Natal A
6. North West 4-2 Free State B
7. M. Sundowns 2-0 Limpopo B
8. Eastern Cape 1-1 Northern Cape A
9. Mpumalanga Aces 1-1 Mpumalanga B
(Find attached the latest log standings)
FIXTURES:
Day 3 – Thursday, 9 July 2015 (Group Stages)
Match No: Field Time
10. Bidvest Wits vs North West B 09h00
11. KwaZulu Natal vs Free State A 09h00
12. Western Cape vs Mpumalanga Aces A 10h30
13. Mpumalanga vs Gauteng B 10h30
14. Northern Cape vs Mamelodi Sundowns B 12h00
15. Limpopo vs Eastern Cape A 13h30
16. Free State vs Bidvest Wits A 15h00
17. North West vs KwaZulu Natal B 15h00
18. Gauteng vs Western Cape A 16h30
Day 4 – Friday, 10 July 2015 (Knockout Stages Fixtures)
Match No: Field Time
SEMI-FINAL 1
19. Winner Group B vs Winner Group C 09h00
SEMI-FINAL 2
20. Winner Group A vs Best-Placed Runner Up 11h00
3rd/4th Place Play-Offs
21. Loser Semi-Final 1 vs Loser Semi-Final 2
Day 5 – Saturday, 11 July 2015
(REST DAY)
Day 6 – Sunday, 12 July 2015
FINAL
22. WINNER SEMI-FINAL 1 (19) vs WINNER SEMI-FINAL 2 (20) 09H30
North West came close as they won 4-2 against Free State, while the defending champions, Bidvest Wits, made their intentions clear with convincing 3-nil victory over KwaZulu Natal.
Earlier in the day Mpumalanga Aces made a remarkable come back from two goals down, but could not hold on and lost 3-2 to hosts Gauteng, while the Mpumalanga Province managed a 1-all draw against Western Cape.
The Cape derby between Eastern Cape and Northern produced no winner as they finished 1-all.
The last match of the day was The Battle of the East - Mpumalanga Aces vs Mpumalanga Province – but neither will be able to claim bragging rights as they ended in a 1-all stalemate.
Sundowns are odds on favourite to qualify for the last eight as they have amassed six points in Group A, closely followed by Limpopo on three points while Northern Cape and Eastern Cape are tied at one-point apiece.
In Group B the race to proceed to the semi-final seems to be between Wits and North West who are joint on three points each – but Wits has a better goal difference. Free State and KwaZulu Natal have not collected any points – all teams have played one match each.
Mpumalanga Aces is in danger of not making it into the last four after one draw and a defeat, which has left them with just one point at the bottom of Group C. At the top is Gauteng with three points after playing one match while Mpumalanga Province is second with two points from two games. Third is Western Cape.
Nine provinces are taking part in the tournament together with three invited club sides Sundowns, Aces and Wits – to bring the number of teams in the event to 12.
Group A Group B Group C
Mamelodi Sundowns Bidvest Wits Mpumalanga Aces
Limpopo North West Mpumalanga
Eastern Cape KwaZulu Natal Gauteng
Northern Cape Free State Western Cape
RESULTS:
Day 2 – Wednesday, 8 July 2015 (Group Stages)
Match No: Field
3. Mpumalanga Aces 2-3 Gauteng B
4. Mpumalanga 1-1 Western Cape A
1. M. Sundowns 6-0 Eastern Cape A
2. Limpopo 2-0 Northern Cape B
5. Bidvest Wits 3-0 KwaZulu Natal A
6. North West 4-2 Free State B
7. M. Sundowns 2-0 Limpopo B
8. Eastern Cape 1-1 Northern Cape A
9. Mpumalanga Aces 1-1 Mpumalanga B
(Find attached the latest log standings)
FIXTURES:
Day 3 – Thursday, 9 July 2015 (Group Stages)
Match No: Field Time
10. Bidvest Wits vs North West B 09h00
11. KwaZulu Natal vs Free State A 09h00
12. Western Cape vs Mpumalanga Aces A 10h30
13. Mpumalanga vs Gauteng B 10h30
14. Northern Cape vs Mamelodi Sundowns B 12h00
15. Limpopo vs Eastern Cape A 13h30
16. Free State vs Bidvest Wits A 15h00
17. North West vs KwaZulu Natal B 15h00
18. Gauteng vs Western Cape A 16h30
Day 4 – Friday, 10 July 2015 (Knockout Stages Fixtures)
Match No: Field Time
SEMI-FINAL 1
19. Winner Group B vs Winner Group C 09h00
SEMI-FINAL 2
20. Winner Group A vs Best-Placed Runner Up 11h00
3rd/4th Place Play-Offs
21. Loser Semi-Final 1 vs Loser Semi-Final 2
Day 5 – Saturday, 11 July 2015
(REST DAY)
Day 6 – Sunday, 12 July 2015
FINAL
22. WINNER SEMI-FINAL 1 (19) vs WINNER SEMI-FINAL 2 (20) 09H30
By: Editor
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