Young bucks get their day in the sun on big Central stage
WITH the East London Central Local Football Association having completed their 2017 senior league programme, the focus now shifts for the next four weeks to its youth league programmes.
First up is the Inaugural Deolin Willemse-sponsored U18 league, which concludes on Sunday at the North End Stadium.
EL Central vice-president Vuyo Zambodla said: “We changed our age groups this year from uneven numbers to even numbers to align ourselves with the annual interprovincial Inter-LFA competition that we participate in.
“Riverside FC have dominated the U17 age group from 2013-2016 until Prides broke their stranglehold in 2017, when the Braelyn side were crowned U17 league champions.
“We have now converted our U17 league to an U18 league programme.
“It is ironic that the senior league champions in their respective divisions – Riverside (Premier League) and Millan (First Division) will be contesting the U18 league title decider on Sunday at 1.30pm at the North End Stadium. They are level on points with only goal difference separating the two sides.
“Scenery Park-based Millan require a point to secure the title while Buffalo Flats-based Riverside need nothing less than a win.
“When these two sides met in the first round, they played out to a goalless stalemate. I am, however, sure that we will see goals this time round when these two outfits clash.”
Swaraj and Leeds United cross swords in the other U18 league encounter at noon.
With four rounds of football remaining, Prides A appear to have their one hand on the Clayton/Brendon de Kock U10 league championship trophy as they have a nine-point cushion over title rivals Leeds United.
Victory against Central B on Saturday at North End should literally seal it for the Braelynbased outfit.
It is a three-horse race for the Calvin Brown-sponsored U12 league championship with Pefferville United having a sevenpoint lead over Central United.
Leeds United are eight points adrift with six rounds of football remaining. This could all change on Saturday at North End when Pefferville United and Central United clash at 2pm in a highly anticipated Pefferville derby encounter.
Pefferville United now only have Leeds United as their title rivals for the Impala Electricalsponsored U14 league crown with three rounds remaining. Both sides face tricky encounters on Saturday in Parkside.
Pefferville United host Seagulls and Leeds United entertain Braelyn United.
Millan are in a strong position to capture the Joe Hendricks Memorial U16 league crown as they have a handy seven-point lead over Pefferville United with three rounds remaining.
The Scenery Park-based outfit will secure the title should they collect the maximum points against their title rivals on Saturday at the Parkside grounds in a potential league decider.
Newlands-based Napoli will be aiming to set aside a rather disappointing PL season by their standards when they lock horns with EL Central LFA club debutantes, Fort Hare-based Imonti Christian Centre, on Sunday at 3pm in their crunch premier league promotion/relegation playoff.
Last season, Lybo Poyo’s side found themselves in the exact same precarious position but managed to secure their PL status after defeating Buffalo City Soccer School 3-1. — DDC