Muthupi hoping to lead Shapeve to juniors title
U12 sides gear up for national finals
Preparations for the national finals of the under-12 Danone Nations Cup soccer tournament are well under way.
The nine provincial champions are getting in those last practice sessions before they head to Soweto’s Dobsonville Stadium on September 15. Games kick off at 9.30am and entrance is free.
The winner will represent South Africa in the Danone Nations Cup world finals in Barcelona, Spain in 2019.
The boys from Shapeve Primary School, who will be representing Mpumalanga, are feeling confident and excited for the finals ahead. They have an experienced manager, Andries Muthupi, who has been an assistant coach for professional PSL clubs Black Leopards as well as Mpumalanga Black Aces, prior to their relocation to Cape Town.
“I was not surprised we made it to the national finals,” said a confident Muthupi, who joined Shapeve in 2016 as a maths teacher.
“Last year we reached the provincial finals and the boys were determined to make it to the nationals this year, so put in extra effort and it paid off. I have a good team of focused, disciplined boys and I know they have what it takes to win the nationals. But we have a tough road ahead of us.
“We learnt a lot at the provincial finals, but I will not be making any changes to the team or introducing new tactics.”
The players are excited to be travelling to Gauteng as most have never been out of the province.
“I do not want to put pressure on the boys. I am encouraging the excitement of travelling to Gauteng as the boys need to remain confident. Further, when they write their ‘book of life’, I want the chapter on their Danone Nations Cup national final experience to be a happy one,” added Muthupi.