Elkasico Cup Sports Network (ECSN) and the Phillys Games arguably the longest serving off-season football tournament organization are inviting diski fans to an action-packed sporting weekend for the DStv Ekasi Champ of Champs Eastern Gauteng qualifiers.

The tournament will be hosted at the Vosloorus Stadium in Ekurhuleni with the Top 8 Championship spectacle kicking off on May 27 with the semis and tournament finals taking place on of May 28.

At least eight senior division teams from various parts of Gauteng will compete for 1 of 8 spots in the 2023 edition of the DSTV Ekasi Champ of Champs kicking off on June 15, 2023, in Soweto.

The Eastern Gauteng Champion will face seven other winners from the West, South, North and Central Gauteng regions, where they will battle it out for the converted Champ of Champs title as of June 15.

Eastern Gauteng participants include Wattville United from Wattville, Black Poison from Soweto, Reach Out FC and Fire Argentina from Daveyton, Sesfikile and K1 Stars from Katlehong as well as One Lion and Giant Reefs representing Tembisa.

The tournament will be staged simultaneously in all regions, each tournament will be played over a duration of two days with the qualifier tournament using one leg.

Each game will play for 90 minutes without extra time and the knockout system will be applied for the tourney.
The overall participation is 40 teams across the Gauteng province and three Chairmans Invitational champs from Limpopo, North West and Mpumalanga will be included, as part of an attempt to increase viewership and to signal the tournament being national in the future.

Kathorus will be represented by two clubs, Sesfikile from Thokoza and K1 Stars from Katlehong.

Sesfikile’s head coach, Lwazi Nzouzo thanked the tournament organizers for the opportunity.

He said it is an excellent opportunity for players more than anyone because as coaches in amateur football, their role is to try to groom players for the next stage of their careers.

“We are going there as a team to give players a chance to express themselves for them to prove that they are ready to play in the next level,” said Nzouzo.

He said the team is at an advanced stage in terms of preparation for the tournament and at this stage, they have been trying to play friendly games as part of preparations to compete in the qualifiers.

“I know that we are up against other champs from other regions but believe in what we have in terms of the squad and the players we have. We will be there to compete it is not going to be an easy one as you know these are champions from different regions.”

Coach Sipho Tau of K1 Stars shared the same sentiments citing that there will exposure for players to be selected.
He said he would like two or three of his players selected to play in the National First Division League or the Premier Soccer League because the tournament will give them exposure and there will be scouts.

“Currently we are training with the team to prepare because my view is that if you do not train you cannot expect to win,” said Tau.

Fixture

*Wattville United vs One Lion at 09h00.

*Fire Argentina vs Reach Out FC at 11h00.

*Sesfikile vs Giant Reefs at 13h00.

*Black Poison vs K1 Stars at 15h00.

Tournament details

Date: May 27 and 28.

Venue: Vosloorus Stadium.

Time: Kick-off at 09h00.

For more information contact ECSN media liaison official Colly Ndala at 073 689 3523.