Limpopo school crowned Danone National champs (Video)
For the second consecutive year, the U-12 Danone Nations Cup final was decided by a penalty shoot-out.
Limpopo’s Benny’s Sports Development and Academy (SDA), from Louis Trichardt, beat BM Mokitime Primary School, from North-West, 3-2 in the shoot-out, to win the 2016 Championship, played in Reiger Park, on Saturday, June 25.
This was after the two sides could not be separated when regular time lapsed with the score deadlocked at 0-0.
As the new national champions, Benny’s will represent South Africa at the Danone Nations Cup World Finals, in France, between October 14 and 16.
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Benny’s goalkeeping captain, Hulisani Mashau, produced a penalty shoot-out performance that will live long in the Danone Nations Finals memory, as he saved Reabetswe Ikaneng’s penalty before a striker-esque shot to score his own.
Up next was Mokitime’s Itumeleng Ramorola, but his effort hit the upright.
It was left to Benny’s Ronewa Mudau to place the winning penalty, and the No 9 made no mistake and sent the Benny’s players and bench into a state of delirium.
“We followed the tournament religiously on Facebook; we knew who had gone through to the finals, investigated the type of football they played and the quality of players, and we prepared accordingly,” said Benny’s coach, Mbishi Mokwena.
“I was nervous about playing BM Mokitime in the final.
”They had won all their games, whereas two of our games ended in a draw, and I knew prior to the nationals that they were a good side. But I had faith in my team,” admitted the excited mentor.
BM Mokitime came into the finals as favourites after an impressive performance in the provincial finals.
Going to France will be an opportunity to learn different styles of play for Mokwena and his troops, but he wants the boys to enjoy the experience of being part of one of the biggest soccer development tournaments in the world.
“My ultimate dream is to be the most successful development school in South Africa,” he said.
”This age, 10 to 12 years old, is the most important phase, because young players can absorb a lot of information and they are easier to instruct.
“Dealing with teenagers is more difficult, because they start to believe that they know better, which is the downfall of many a player’s career.
“I would like to thank Danone for giving the opportunity, every year, to 2.5 million kids to follow their dreams by being part of such an important tournament.”
Benny’s is the first school from Limpopo to take the title and the first sports development school to win it. – @SabeloBoksburg
