Tense penalty shootouts and exciting soccer action filled the grounds at The King’s School West Rand on March 7, as young players battled for the JTT Tournament title.

Twenty-two primary schools from across the West Rand took part in the two-day competition, which brought together some of the region’s promising young soccer players. The tournament was organised by the West Rand Primary Schools Football Association.

The teams competed in a tight schedule of games across three fields before the knockout rounds. To provide support to the players, the coaches and teammates lined the sidelines as competition took place over the two days. Each player’s skill from the different school teams could be seen on the field.

The semi-finals were the most dramatic moment of the day. Arthur Matthews faced The King’s School West Rand in a highly contested match where neither team could find the back of the net during the normal game. This forced the match to be determined by a penalty shootout, which went on for several rounds before moving into sudden death, where Arthur Matthews finally scored the decisive penalty to book their place in the final.

perinThe match between Arthur Matthews Primary School and Silverfields Primary School is intense. Photo: Neliswa Sibiya.Arthur Matthews played against the defending champions, Silverfields Primary School, who have been the title holders for two consecutive years. During the match, both teams fought hard to score goals throughout the game with strong attack and defence techniques.

Arthur Matthews eventually scored from a late corner to secure the winning goal and lift the JTT trophy. Their coach, Thamsanqa Khoza, said the road to winning the tournament required discipline and consistency from his players.

“It’s not an easy task, honestly, until you hold the trophy. The road to becoming champions was rough and full of obstacles, where you need consistency,” he said.

Silverfields coach Tebatso Jonas said he was proud of his team’s effort despite the pressure of defending their title.

“I instructed my boys to give out their best on the field, and they followed my instructions perfectly. I think they played very well,” he said.

Also read: Laerskool Die Ruiter announces 2026 head leaders

Beyond the results, the tournament once again showed the growing football talent among primary school learners in the West Rand, giving young players valuable match experience and preparing them for the rest of the season.