Diambars Sunward crowned champions of the Phoenix Elites SA games
Boksburg Stadium played host to the inaugural Phoenix Elites SA Games on Saturday. The new women’s football tournament ran seamlessly and ended with Diambars Sunward being crowned the first-ever champions of the tournament.
In the gold match, Diambars Sunward powered their way to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Silver Spears Sport Institute to finish the event with a clean sheet in every match.
From the very first minute of the title game, they had Silver Spears Sport under pressure, and Silver Spears didn’t seem to have a clear plan on how to counteract it.
It was all Diambars Sunward, and the score could have easily exceeded five or six goals, but they squandered opportunities, including several open-net chances, that could have turned the contest into a rout and decided the outcome very early.
However, once the first goal was scored, Diambars Sunward’s confidence soared. They maintained a strong press, forcing Silver Spears Sport to play most of the game in their own half.
Frustration was evident on the bench of Silver Spears Sport. Yet, there was little they could do, and critical errors under pressure cost them the championship.
Earlier in the day, Diambars Sunward beat East Rand Ladies 1-0 in the semi-finals, while Silver Spears Sport also claimed a narrow 1-0 win against Kathorus United.
The tournament was designed to ensure that every participant could leave as a winner, as reflected in the organiser’s slogan, “Opportunity Meets Purpose.”
Diambars Sunward, the competition’s champions, took home R20 000, while Silver Spears Sport, the runner-up, received R10 000.
Kathorus United, who reached the semifinals, were awarded the kits winners’ prize, while East Rand Ladies, their fellow semi-finalists, were the soccer boot winners.
Among the other winners were PFC Ladies, who were awarded transport vouchers, and Albertho Girls’ Academy, who received soccer equipment as their prize.
As stated by the tournament director, Melissa Sall, to SuperSport Schools Plus last week, the tournament was set up to be distinctly different from any previous tournaments, designed so that every participant emerges as a winner. That sentiment was the prevailing message of the day.
SuperSport Schools Plus spoke with the Rustenburg City coach, Technocrat Yusuf, to discuss the North West Province’s side’s experience of participating in the inaugural Phoenix Elites SA games.
Earlier this year, Phoenix Elites SA organised a five-a-side tournament to which Rustenburg City was invited. Coach Yusuf believes that the tournament organisers may have recognised something in his team that led to their invitation to the Phoenix Elites SA Games as the only side from outside of the Gauteng province.
Yusuf shared the reasons for his team’s successes at the five-a-side event, saying: “It is primarily a matter of discipline, and during the five-a-side tournament, our goalkeeper was awarded the title of goalkeeper of the tournament. She participated in all the matches despite being injured. Perhaps this demonstrated the determination of our girls to the organisers.”
The Phoenix Elites SA Games was his side’s first time competing in an 11-a-side tournament outside of the North West, Yusuf told SuperSport Schools Plus. That was a big challenge, he added, because teams in Gauteng are more advanced than those in the North West.
Rustenburg City lost all of their matches in Group A, but they were, nonetheless, competitive. Despite those defeats, it was a valuable learning opportunity for his charges, said Yusuf. It was essential for his team to push beyond their limits and to be exposed to various styles of play and competition.
Yusuf also praised Phoenix Elites SA for promoting girls’ football. “The Phoenix Group is performing an excellent job, and I would like to extend my personal gratitude for their efforts,” he said.
“Upon our arrival in the morning, breakfast was provided, lunch was offered, water was available, medical assistance was on hand, and everything was organised to a top-class standard.”
RESULTS
Saturday, 25 October
Group A
Silver Spears Sport 2-0 Rustenburg City
Absalom Tete 1-0 Rustenburg City
Diambars Sunward 2-0 Rustenburg City
Diambars Sunward 5-0 Absalom Tete
Silver Spears Sport 1-0 Absalom Tete
Diambars Sunward 1-0 Silver Spears Sport
Group B
Kathorus United 3-1 PFC Ladies
East Rand 0-0 Albertho Girls’ Academy
Albertho Girls’ Academy 0-0 Kathorus United
Kathorus United 0-0 East Rand Ladies
East Rand Ladies 1-0 PCF Ladies
Kathorus United 3-1 PCF Ladies
Kathorus United 0-0 East Rand Ladies
East Rand Ladies 1-0 PCF Ladies
PCF Ladies 2-0 Albertho Girls’ Academy
Semifinals
Silver Spears Sport 1-0 Kathorus United
Diambars Sunward 1-0 East Rand Ladies
Final
Diambars Sunward 3-0 Silver Spears Sport
