Weekend soccer to thrill fans

THE play-off matches to decide teams that would qualify for the Kaizer Letsoalo Games (KLG) soccer league Top 8 Soccer Challenge and a spot in the mooted KLG premier league, were hosted simultaneously at the Super and Manamela Sports Grounds on Sunday.

The encounters were watched by thousands of loyal football fans who follow the KLG soccer league matches every weekend with unfailing passion and commitment.

The top four teams from the green stream and the top four teams from the yellow stream contested for positions in the top 8 deciding categories.

Leswika Classic, Mapantsula, Bayern Young Stars, Real Madrid, Long Valley, Golden Aces, Lebaleng Shining Stars and Manamela Naughty Boys participated in these top 8 qualifiers.

The teams in the top 16 deciding category of play-offs were composed of teams that took positions five to eight from both streams.

These were: Tzaneen Pick n Pay, Hotbeans, Mphoto, Royal Celtic, Khopho All Stars, Bubs, Mogoboya Junior Chiefs and Dinkgwete.

Results:

• Top 8 deciding play-offs: Leswika Classic 2-0 Mapantsula, Bayern Young Stars 0-0 Real Madrid and Long Valley 1-1 Golden Aces.

• Top 16 deciding play-offs: Khopho All Stars 2-1 Bubs, Mphoto 1-0 Royal Celtic, Tzaneen Pick n Pay vs Hotbeans (Tzaneen Pick n Pay didn’t honour the fixture).

The play-offs will continue at various places over the weekend.

The secretary of the KLG league committee, Tonny Kudumela said the play-offs this weekend will be staged at the Mosoroni and Moruleng Sports Grounds in the Thlabine and Lephepane areas respectively.

“We had a thrilling action-packed weekend. This weekend will be even more enthralling,” Kudumela said.

An interesting dimension to this weekend’s matches was that Moruleng Junior Chiefs, Lebaleng Shining Stars and Dinkgwete joined the fray after not playing last weekend.

Both Mogoboya and Lebaleng were waiting for the champions to be decided before knowing whether they would join the top 8 or top 16 categories.

Dinkgwete joined the top 16 deciding play-offs category courtesy of the victory of Ramalema (yellow stream) over Manamela Naughty Boys (green stream).

The following matches will be played this weekend for the top 16 deciders:

• Saturday, KLG top 16 deciders:

Royal Celtic vs Khopho All Stars at Mosoroni Sports Ground at 14:00, Bubs vs Mphoto at Mosoroni Carling Ground at 16:00, Dinkgwete vs Tzaneen Pick n Pay at Moruleng Sports Ground at 14:00 and Mogoboya Junior Chiefs vs Hotbeans at Moruleng Sports Ground at 16:00.

• Sunday, KLG top 8 deciders: Bayern Young Stars vs Manamela Naughty Boys at Mosoroni Sports Grounda at 14:00, Lebaleng Shining Stars vs Leswika Classic at Mosoroni Sports Ground at 16:00, Real Madrid vs Long Valley at Moruleng Sports Ground at 14:00 and Golden Aces vs Mapantsula at Moruleng Sports Ground at 16:00.

The administrator of the KLG soccer league, Trilly Mogoboya said both the top 8 and top 16 deciders would be played in a mini-league format.

Mogoboya said after all the teams in each category have played against each other, the respective top 8 and top 16 positions would be decided by looking at the number of points, goal differences, goals scored and so forth.