EL Central showpiece to thrill fans
EAST London Central celebrates 102 years of North End football when it hosts their 2nd Edition Cliffie Brown/Leon Meyer Easter Tournament this weekend at North End stadium, Showgrounds, Parkside grounds and the Gompo stadium.
The president of Sascoc Gideon Sam and Eastern Cape director-general of Human Settlement GasterSharpley will officially open this prestigious event at 5pm today at North End before an expected huge crowd.
The big question on the North End soccer connoisseur’s lips is what type of quality opposition our senior visiting clubs will be parading in this prestigious 66year-old tournament during the Easter weekend.
EL Central affiliate and 2015 Easter tournament champions Star of India are celebrating their 115th Anniversary this year. It was in 1951 that the club founded the Easter tournament club concept still prevalent to this day at North End Stadium – a proud legacy and milestone.
The green and whites will be contesting the main match at 8pm today at the North End against 2002 Easter champions The Guys FC, who are based in Wrenchville, Gauteng.
The Guys FC are from the Gasegonyana Local Football Association affiliated to the Safa-John Taolo Gaetsewe Region and are renowned for their pace and skilfull players.
The winner of this encounter will face either Swaraj or Conquerors – who played late last night – in the quarterfinals tomorrow.
Cape Town-based Belstar were 2015 Western Cape Regional champions and should bring a formidable squad to compete and will be hot favourites to have the better of 16-time Easter champions Saints in the first round today at 2pm. Saints are going through a rebuilding phase this season and are expected to give a good account of themselves.
Their second round opposition tomorrow will be either Brother of Peace or Shamrocks who will clash in the early kick-off at 11am today.
Under the mentorship of coach Zuko Mvolonstshi Brothers of Peace have been in fine nick and will prove stiff opposition for PE’s Shamrocks, the Nelson Mandela Bay-based outfit, one of the oldest sides affiliated to the Northern Areas LFA.
Defending Easter tournament champions Seagulls face a tricky opening encounter after the opening ceremony at 6.30pm against perennial fierce rivals Parkside United – the 2015 and 2016 Easter silver cup champions.
Both sides enjoy a huge community following that will certainly come out in their numbers to watch this adrenaline-pumping cup tie.
The winner of this contest will face either Pride of India or King-based Hellenic who will clash at 3.30pm. Hubert Oliphant bring a Hellenic outfit that has a commanding respect in Breidbach and will prove stern opposition for the Pride of Braelyn.
The 2015 and 2016 Easter Gold Cup champions and North End darlings Riverside, fondly known as the Blue Train by their supporters, entertain Stutterheimbased LFA outfit Dangerous Darkies in the first round at 12.30pm. Buffalo City Sports Academy or Atlantic spurs await the winner in the quarterfinals. In the U18s it looks almost likely that Riverside and Pride of India should book their semifinal places at the expense of Seagulls and Leeds in Group 1 while Swaraj and Braelyn United are fancied to overcome Buffalo City Sports Academy and Millan in Group 2.
In the Masters section defending champions Belstar and Leeds are favourites in Group 1 for the quarterfinals, Mdantsane Police and MBSA Masters could prove too strong for CambridgeAll Stars in Group 2.
Group 3 is billed the group of death with Masters league champions Riverside, runnersRovers and thirdplaced Atlantic Spurs fighting it out while in Group 4 Central United and Prides Masters are favourites to advance to the quarterfinals at the expense of Breidbach Masters.
It all points to an intriguing Easter weekend of exciting football.