Black Poison beat Royal Tigers on penalties to win MAP Games U17 title
Coach Phathutshedzo Maseko’s decision to subject his players to 11 days of daily spot-kick practice paid off as Alex Black Poison secured a 4-3 win in a shootout after a 1-1 stalemate.
Alex Black Poison’s lapse in concentration in the dying minutes of the MAP Games final against Alex Royal Tigers pushed the match into a far tougher fight for the trophy at the 3 Square Sports Grounds on October 10.
Black Poison led 1-0 for the entire first half after Royal Tigers conceded a penalty, which Black Poison’s Thabiso Mathabatha calmly converted. That lead came undone in the second half, when an own goal handed their opponents an equaliser.
Read more: Loyo Stars U15 claim Maimane Alfred Phiri trophy at 3 Square
Coach Phathutshedzo Maseko said the goal was a loss of concentration. Black Poison could not recover their advantage, and by the final whistle both teams had to settle for a 1-1 draw and decide the MAP Games U17 2026 champions on penalties.
Black Poison came out on top 4-3 after two Royal Tigers players missed their third and fourth spot-kicks.
Maseko said he had seen it coming. His U19 side had found themselves fighting for their place in the tournament on penalties in earlier rounds, so he could not rule out the same fate for his U17 team.
“In the last 11 days, we have been practising penalties every day, because we knew that we might go to the penalties. That is why we won the penalties,” he said.
Also read: Alex Wolves’ young stars carry Alexandra’s flag to Western Cape
Anyone who has followed Black Poison through the competition would know that Saturday’s game was not their best performance.
They had been winning consistently and decisively, first a 3-1 victory over Loyo Stars, then a 4-0 win against Mighty Heroes, and a whopping 8-1 result against Norwood Young Stars.
Royal Tigers were the first side to hold them to a 1-1 draw, marking Black Poison’s first real challenge of the tournament. Despite the result, Maseko said his players gave their all.
The victory sees Black Poison take home the trophy, training equipment valued at R10 000, and medals.
Also read: Alexandra Wolves U21 and U19 teams claim Senior Grand Challenge double
This is yet another title for Maseko, whose U15 players, who have now moved up to the U17 division, claimed last season’s Alexandra Northrand Local Football Association U15 league honours at Altrec Sports Complex.
He said the win once again sets a new standard for the team going forward.
“After winning the MAP Games, we need to go back and win the league again,” he said.
Follow us on our WhatsApp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates!
