Excitement as Easter contest starts at Jabavu
THE Nodefa VW Community Trust Easter soccer tournament, with R20 000 in prize money, kicks off at both the Jabavu Rugby Stadium and the Jabavu Soccer Stadium in KwaNobuhle tomorrow.
Teams from both the Premier and First Division have been divided into eight groups and will play a round robin. The knockout stage will be played next weekend, with the finals on Easter Monday.
The winners will receive R10 000 and the runners-up R6 000. The losing semifinalists will receive R2 000 each.
Defending champions Manchester United will play First Division outfit Flamingo in their opening match on Saturday.
On Sunday, they play First Division side Young Brothers.
United are second on the Premier League table.
Runners-up Westhill United, from Larofa, are not in the Easter tournament in Uitenhage this year.
Premier League log-leaders Jamaican Stars open their campaign with an easy match against Moroka Stars.
Stokes United, who won the Top Eight competition earlier this year, have two tough openers, against Kabah United Brothers tomorrow and Golden Chiefs on Sunday.
Runners-up Temptation play Young Brothers and Flamingo in their opening two matches.
Fixtures: Tomorrow (Friday): (Jabavu Soccer Stadium): Reservoir Strikers v Cango Chiefs, Young Cosmos v Black Aces, Themba Really Bucks v Despatch Pioneers, Fearnots v New City Stars.
(Jabavu Rugby Stadium): Black Vultures v Young Callies, City Friends v Manchester Babes, Khayelitsha Stars v City Style, Moroka Stars v Jamaican Stars.
Saturday (Jabavu Soccer Stadium): All City Stars v Young Culture, Kabah United Brothers v Stokes United, Temptation v Young Brothers, Young Pirates v Eleven Stars, Imbabala Young Stars v Highland Spurs, Really Rangers v Golden Chiefs, Flamingo v Manchester United, Lion City v Chelsea.
Sunday: (Jabavu Soccer Stadium): Reservoir Strikers v Black Vultures, Young Cosmos v City Friends, Themba Really Bucks v Khayelitsha Stars, Fearnots v Moroka Stars, All City Stars v Imbabala Young Stars, Kabah United Brothers v Really Rangers, Temptations v Flamingo, Young Pirates v Lion City.
(Jabavu Rugby Stadium): Cango Chiefs v Young Callies, Black Chiefs v Manchester Babes, Despatch Pioneers v City Style, New City Stars v Jamaican Stars, Young Culture v Highland Spurs, Stokes United v Golden Chiefs, Young Brothers v Manchester United, Eleven Stars v Chelsea. RED City can go level with Winter Rose at the top of the Nebfa Sedgars Premier League table when they play struggling Black Stars at the New Brighton Oval this evening.
However, their joy could be short-lived as log-leaders Winter Rose should have the beating of City Lads at the same venue tomorrow evening.
PE Sundowns, just a point behind Rose, have a difficult match against Boast Pirates at the Chevrolet Stadium on Saturday.
Bush Bucks should have the easiest weekend match when they play tailenders Pondo Stars. Stars have won just one match and drawn five in their 21 games.
Fixtures: Today (New Brighton Oval): 5.30pm - Amakhosi v Bold Tigers (1st Div), 7pm – Black Stars v Red City, Real White City v City Defenders.
Friday (New Brighton Oval): 6pm – City Lads v Winter Rose, 730pm – Stinging Bees v CCX Callies.
Saturday (City Defenders field): 9am - Vuku Wanderers v PE Rovers (1st Div), 10.30pm – PE All Stars v Bold Tigers (1st div), noon – Friendly City v Dodgers, 1.30pm – Roaring Tigers v Eastern Jumpers (Chevrolet Stadium): 9am – HUBS v PE United (1st div), 10.30am – PE Sundowns v Rangers (1st div), noon – Pondo Stars v Bush Bucks, 1.30pm – PE Sundowns v Boast Pirates.
Sunday (City Defenders field) : 9am – PE Rovers v Rangers, 10.30am – PE Sundowns v Vuku Wanderers, noon – PE All Stars v HUBS, Young Lions v PE United.