VICTORIA PARK HOSTS PRESTIGIOUS SOCCER TOURNAMENT IN CO-OPERATION WITH FNB

 The Annual Victoria Park Soccer Challenge was bigger and better than ever this year, thanks to a sponsorship from FNB. The event was held over 3 days from 31 March to 2 April and attracted participants from as far afield as Gauteng, Bloemfontein and Cape Town. Competing schools contested Under 19 and Under 16 age groups.

 In the Under 19 age group, Victoria Park were top of their group after the round robin stage. They met old rivals Alexander Road in the semi-final, and emerged winners by 1 goal to 0. In the other semi-final, Grey College from Bloemfontein took on Ithembelihle, who eventually won after a penalty shoot-out. In the final, VP took on Ithembelihle, who also compete with them in the Western Suburbs school leagues.

The first half began fast and furious, with VP taking the lead by means of a penalty which was slotted home by Siya Mtyatyeni. The celebrations had hardly died down when Ithembelihle equalised by means of a penalty awarded at the other end of the field. After a very evenly matched first half, the teams went into half time at 1 – 1. In the second half Victoria Park stamped their authority on the game. Two brilliant goals by Lufezo Thomas gave the team a 3 – 1 victory and the U19 trophy for 2011. Coach Mr Ralton Leander, a Head of Department at Victoria Park, was deservedly awarded the trophy for Coach of the Tournament.

 The final placings in the under 19 section were:

1          Victoria Park

2          Ithembelihle

3          Grey College, Bloemfontein

4          Alexander Road

5          Bethelsdorp

6          Benoni High

7          Woodridge

8          Ncedo

9          Camps Bay (Cape Town)

10        Lawson Brown

11        Sanctor

12        St Dominic’s Priory

 Special awards U 19:

Best Goalkeeper                     Siseko Xatase              Victoria Park

Top Goal Scorer                      Sergio Adams               Bethelsdorp

Player of the Tournament         Stevens Laragon           Sanctor

 In the U16 section, Victoria Park were again prominent, finishing top of their group after the round robin stage. After beating Bethelsdorp on penalties in the semi-final, they came up against Brebner High from Bloemfontein in the final. Brebner had beaten Morningside in their semi-final.

 The final was hard-fought, with both teams locked on one goal each at half time. In spite of continued pressure by Brebner in the second half, neither team was able to add to the tally to avoid a penalty shoot-out. After this nail-biting conclusion to the tournament, Brebner came out deserving winners in the U16 section.

 The final U16 placings were:

1          Brebner High (Bloemfontein)

2          Victoria Park

3          Morningside

4          Bethelsdorp

5          Linkside

6          Alexander Road

7          Westville

8          Ithembelihle

9          Vulumzi

10        Camps Bay (Cape Town)

11        Ncedo

12        Lawson Brown

 Special Awards U16:

Goalkeeper of the Tournament      Thabang Masilo           Brebner

Top Goal Scorer                           Achuma Mtati             Victoria Park   

Player of the Tournament             Giovanni Campodonico    Linkside

 The Tournament was blessed with a group of excellent referees. The trophy for Referee of the Tournament went to S Gqogqo.