Rev MP Malatjie ready for final

SESHEGO – A SOLITARY strike from captain, Nare Ramphele saw the Limpopo Danone u/12 defending champions, Rev MP Malatjie Primary School through to the district elimination round of this tournament after they beat Paxana Primary School 1-0 during the cluster eliminations, which were played at the Seshego Stadium on Friday.

Rev MP Malatjie reigned supreme last year and represented Limpopo in the national Danone u/12 championships in Pretoria, but the local lads were knocked out in the first round of the competition.

Rev MP Malatjie, who outclassed Mamoloko Primary School with a 1-0 and 3-0 defeats in the round-robin matches on Friday, hoped to improve last year’s achievement and win the Danone Cup.

Head coach of Rev MP Malatjie, Phillip Nkwe, said they had their sights set on the national championships and he wanted to build a strong team that would compete against the best schools in the country.

“We want to have another shot at the national championships, but that is still a long way ahead.

“We need to win the district competition, as well as defend our provincial championship title. It is only then that we can focus on the nationals,” Nkwe said.

Nkwe believed he had a better team than the one he took to Pretoria last year, but said they were still a work in progress.

“We are working hard on how to get goals through set-pieces, because they are the source of goals in modern football, especially when the opposition makes the midfield unplayable.

“We are also empowering our defence with defensive techniques, as well as teaching players to concentrate for the duration of the match, even when we have scored first,” added Nkwe.

The Capricorn district eliminations will be held at Matlala village on Saturday, with the provincial knock-out competition billed for April 18 at the Seshego Stadium.