Teenagers in the Komani Safa junior league at the Dumpy Adams Stadium on
Tuesday Picture:
ABONGILE SOLUNDWANA
The Komani Safa junior soccer league for U15 and U13 kick-started last week Monday after some of the teams took part in a pre-season tournament to gear themselves up recently.
This is where Phoenix FC proved to be in good shape after beating Aces by 5-2 in the final at the Dumpy Adams Stadium on Saturday. The victory followed after Phoenix FC had beaten DMD by 3-0 in the semi-finals, while Aces beat Kaizer United 2-1.
Enoch Mgijima junior league convener Ringo Klaas said 16 U15 and 18 U13 teams were competing in the league, which was divided into streams A and B. Klaas said Phoenix Bird FC, Kaizer United, Black Stars, Aces and Real Rovers were the only football clubs with U10 grassroot teams which competed on Saturday. Girls were also set for their fair share of the action when the U15 teams from Kaizer United, Phoenix Bird FC, Black Stars, Valgas and 7 Stars played. Phoenix, Kaizer United and 7 Stars are the only clubs with teams for U13 girls.
Klaas said girls were a priority structure in Safa and the grassroots teams were crucial in the league and formed part of the Safa technical master plan 2022 vision. “We cannot end the season without allowing the juniors to compete in the league, especially with the disruption of Covid-19 that prevented pupils from being active in sport for so long. This is why we are making use of the opportunity the school holiday has presented us.’’
He said Komani and Ntabethemba were the two zones which had started the league
while Ezibeleni, Ilinge, Machibini, Dongwe and Whittlesea were yet to begin.
