MTN8 Cup fever hits East Cape
Soccer legends want smaller centres to share excitement
SOCCER legends Benedict Vilakazi and Thabo September brought the Premier Soccer League’s MTN8 Cup fever to Port Elizabeth this week in the build-up to the final of the competition in October.
The wafa-wafa (last man standing) competition is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and is using former Orlando Pirates midfielder “Tso” Vilakazi and former SuperSport United captain September to promote the competition.
The legends will also be giving away prizes valued at R8-million to fans throughout the country.
The ultimate winner will walk away with R1-million and a trip to the Fifa World Cup in Russia next year.
“The competition always happens in the bigger areas and we feel like it is time we brought the competition to locals in the Eastern Cape, regardless of not having a team participating in the top eight competition,” September said.
“People in the small areas we come from need to feel the fever of the tournament because they have supported our football careers,” he said.
September and Vilakazi have shown a lot of passion for development and are starting their own football academies in an attempt to unearth raw football talent.
The pair will do coaching clinics with underprivileged schools all over the province and will hand out soccer kits to needy children identified by the MTN Foundation.
“Having played football for over a decade, we feel the need to give back to the communities we come from and those who support us in our careers,” Vilakazi said.
“It is very important that we go back to the very same people who have put us where we are in our careers.
“The contribution brought forward by our fans is a motivation for us to bring out the soccer stars in the future.”
“We are hoping to equip the children with skills they can carry for the rest of their lives,” he said
The MTN 8 competition is now in its semifinal stage with Cape Town City, Maritzburg United, Bidvest Wits and SuperSport United advancing to the second leg of the tournament.
The two legends have commended Cape Town attacking player Benni McCarthy’s use of young players.
The winning team will walk away with R8-million, while the other seven teams will receive R800 000 for participating.
The final will be played on October 14 at a venue to be confirmed.