North West Hosts Danone Nations Cup Provincial Finals

The search for the U-12 School soccer team that will represent South Africa in the Danone Nations Cup World Finals in London, England in September continues on Saturday, 4 May, when North West hosts their provincial finals at the Matlosana Stadium in Klerksdorp.  The games begin at 9am with the final at 2pm.

The winner on Saturday will then travel to Johannesburg in June to compete in the National Finals. The regional winners that will play in the provincial finals are: Agisanang Public School (Dr Kenneth Kaunda Region); Tlaseng Primary School (Bojanala Region); DP Kgotleng Primary School (Ngaka Modiri Molema Region) and Educar Primary School (Dr Segomotsi Mompati Region).

This will be the second time Tlaseng Primary School, situated in Tlaseng village, about 30km from Rustenburg, will be playing in the provincial finals. Coach Arthur Rapoo said the team won all their games at cluster and regional level and are training hard for Saturday:  “We train for an hour and half each day, but my challenge is that some youngsters have to leave early to catch a bus home and four of my players are with the Platinum Stars football Academy, and they have to be at their training session at 3pm each day.”

Rapoo singles out defender Thato Mpete, team captain and midfielder Siyabonga Sibanyoni, and striker Thabiso Mokgothu as their key players. “Siyabonga was part of last year’s squad and his knowledge and experience has helped the team a lot.”

Agisanang Public School has a good squad of players this year and stand a good chance of getting to the national finals.  The school has competed in the Danone Nations Cup for five years and this will be their first time in the provincial finals. Team manager Tshepo Mogapi said they are following the same training schedule they used when competing in the cluster and regional levels.  “It’s our first provincial final experience so I don’t know what to expect,” said Mogapi. “So I did not want to change the routine and tactics as this might confuse the players.”

The team will be looking to midfielders Katlego Boareng and Kgothatso Mogami to perform for them, Mogapi says. “They are the fastest boys in my team and I need them to win the ball and run with it, and to supply the strikers.”

Both teams admit that the possibility of a trip to London makes a big difference in the determination of the players who want to experience the fun and camaraderie of playing against different countries, which is what the Danone Nations Cup is all about.