Brebner Primary claims third place at Norkem Festival football tournament

The final day of the Norkem Festival tournament was filled with excitement and strong sporting spirit as schools reflected on an incredible journey since the opening day of competition.

Norkem Park Primary School hosted the action on May 17, where Brebner Primary School and Arbor Primary School faced off in the third- and fourth-place playoff after losing their respective semi-final matches.

Both teams showed why they had reached the semi-finals, putting in strong performances filled with energy, skill and determination as they battled for bronze medals.

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“I believe I played well and I am surprised that I scored many goals throughout the tournament. I am glad I helped the team.

“We finished third, and I am not really happy about that, but I will accept it. We played very well in the third-place playoff. This was actually our first match as a team, so I was really excited about it.

“I know we can do better because we are winners,” said Brebner Primary School player Katlego Koloane.

With matches played over a shorter format than usual, players had limited time to prove themselves, but both sides fought until the end.

In the first half, Brebner Primary School dominated possession and showed clear intent to secure third place after their hopes of winning the tournament fell short.

“It was a good tournament. We started a bit rough, and the results didn’t go our way at first, but as coaches, we brought the boys together, had a good talk with them, and they started working much harder.

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“The results started going their way and they secured a spot in the semi-finals. We played well in the semi-finals but unfortunately lost in penalty shootouts.

“We got a chance in the third-place playoff, but unfortunately, the boys dropped their heads. Fourth place is not a bad position, but we really wish we could have done better.

“I want to tell the boys to keep their heads up and keep working hard. There are more tournaments coming up, there is a league to work towards, and I am proud of them. They delivered a great performance throughout the tournament,” said Arbor Primary School coach Roxanne da Silva.

However, Arbor Primary School did not make things easy, forcing Brebner to work for every opportunity. Both teams entered the second half determined to avoid penalties and secure victory within regulation time.

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Aware of what could happen in a shootout, both sides increased their intensity as the clock ticked down.

“I honestly believe I played very well. I tried to help my team by defending. As a team, we also played well, but we fell short defensively, and the opponents scored. I am very sad about losing the game, but at the end of the day, we played well.

“We made it to the semi-finals, unfortunately, it didn’t go our way, and we also didn’t manage to secure third place. I would like to tell my teammates not to worry, as we still have the league and the pinnacle,” said Arbor Primary School player Owenkosi Mahlangu.

The match ultimately went into extra time, where Brebner Primary School stepped up the pressure. Just minutes into extra time, Brebner goal scorer Omolemo Ntuka found the breakthrough, giving his side the advantage and putting them on course for bronze.

At full time, Brebner Primary School secured third place with a 1–0 victory over Arbor Primary School, avoiding a penalty shootout and sealing their spot on the podium.

“I am happy that the boys came all the way to participate in the tournament, and they did well, despite the travelling and the many games we played.

The mandate was clear when we left the Free State: we came here to win the tournament.

“I won’t say I am happy that we finished third, especially because I know the talent of these boys. They recently won a tournament in Bloemfontein; however, I will accept what we achieved.

“Despite the challenges we faced on the field, the boys should never be intimidated. They are still very young and still have room to grow.

“They should believe in themselves; they are winners and worked hard to be selected to represent the school,” said Brebner Primary School coach Keitumetse Peterson.