Chance for soccer stars of future to shine

SIXTEEN teams from across the metro – including one from Thornhill – will battle it out to be crowned the first ever Engen Champion of Champions later this year when they take to the field for the 11th annual Engen Under-17 Soccer tournament at the Gelvan fields. And the cherry on the top for the youngster voted player of the tournament will be a trip to England to try out with one of the top English Premier League teams. The announcement was made by Engen group sponsorship manager Brad Berg at the launch of the tournament at the Gelvandale Sports complex on Tuesday. "Engen is proud to be at the forefront of offering young, aspiring, talented footballers a platform where they can be groomed and potentially scouted," Berg said. "Although the details have not been finalised yet, the player voted the player of the tournament will be given the opportunity to try out with one of the top English Premier League clubs," Brad said. The challenge will be played from June through to July in five regions – Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein, Durban, Gauteng and Cape Town. Sixteen teams in each of the five regions play a total of 48 matches over three days. In each region the teams will be divided into groups and play a round robin format before the knockout stage. The new event emphasises the growth and demand of the tournament and will take place in October hosted by Engen's new partner, SuperSport United, in Pimville, Soweto. City Lads, from New Brighton, hold the record of being the only team in Port Elizabeth to have played in every tournament since its inception. And in each time they have featured in either the finals or semifinals. Last year they lost in the finals to Victoria Park High School who will once again be playing in the tournament. "This is a great opportunity for our youngsters who would otherwise be lost to social evils like drugs and gangsterism," Safa-NMB president Monde Mhlethwa said. After the PE leg which will once again be hosted by Glenville FC, the challenge moves on to Bloemfontein, Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town before the finale in Gauteng in October. At the draw on Tuesday the 16 teams were placed in four groups and will play a round robin before the knockout stage. Group A: Glenville (Nafa), Young Callies (Nodefa), Kwadwesi All Stars (Pefa), Area Q (Walmer) Group B: Hotspurs, African Chiefs (Larofa), City Lads (Nebfa), Super Eagles (Penfa) Group C: Bloom Callies, Zwide Pirates (Zwifa), PE Sundowns (Nebfa), Shining Stars (Mofa). Group D: Thornhill United, St Georges (Pefa), Victoria Park High School, Young Aces (Zwifa). - Mogan Segadavan