21 September 2024 – The Gauteng provincial team were crowned 2024 Champions of the boy’s edition of the 2024 U15 TDS Interprovincial Tournament, after beating KwaZulu Natal 2-0 in an exhilarating final on Saturday afternoon, at the Panorama Football Club in Honeydew, Roodepoort.
The Home of Champions team emulated its slogan by also walking away with all the individual awards of the tournament after some great performances from the squad, while seven of their players were selected by scouted for monitoring for the national team.
Player of the Tournament – RUGUNANAN Tashiel – Gauteng
Goalkeeper of the Tournament – SOUGO Smanga – Gauteng
Gauteng earned their place in the final by topping Group B and beating Limpopo 5-3 in the semifinals, while KwaZulu Natal, who were banging in the goals all tournament all, topped group A and went on to beat Northwest 2-1 in their semifinal.
Speaking to SAFA Head of Scouting David Nyathi, who was tasked with identifying 22 players from the tournament, with the assists of U17 National Team Assistant Coach Thabo Mngomeni and other coaches, Nyathi could not contain his delight in how far provincial football has come in the past few years.
“This was the second edition of the U15 Talent Development Scheme Interprovincial Tournament, and I must admit that we are a gifted nation when it comes to football. We weathered todays extremely cold temperatures just to watch these young talented boys, who if groomed properly can go very far;” said Nyathi.
“We had a very difficult task at hand in selecting players that we believe have something special to offer the country, and this task was challenging because we just saw so many great players over the past few days. We are proud that some of them are already in our pool at national, and that they are still participating in provincial tournaments, until their turn to be called up for national duty arrives.
I would like to congratulate Gauteng for a well-deserved victory, but also give credit to all the provincial teams, for bringing us such great football over the past two day.
The U15 Girls Interprovincial Tournament will take place at the Panorama Football Club on 23 -24 September 2024, where the same format of national coaches and scouts will be present to identify a pool of U15 Girls, who will feed into the national structures of South African football.
U15 Boys Team of the Tournament:
GOALKEEPERS
SOUGO Smanga – Gauteng
KHATHI Kwenama – KwaZulu Natal
DEFENDERS
NGCOBO Thapelo – KwaZulu Natal
NDLOVU Bandile – KwaZulu Natal
MAGUBANE Bayanda – KwaZulu Natal
RUGUNANAN Tashiel – Gauteng
MOTHAPO Mmatshweng – Limpopo
MAKGABA Khutso – Limpopo
MAJIET Jihad – Western Cape
MTOTOSE Thumelihle – Western Cape
MIDFIEDERS
MOLEPO Mpho –Gauteng
BHAMJEE Luay – Gauteng
MANNIES Yaseen – Gauteng
GEWER Jesse – Gauteng
MARUPING Nkosinathi – Northwest
LESIBA Pheko – Limpopo
MAMKELI Linothando – Eatsern Cape
ZAMUXOLO Unathi – Eastern Cape
MASOEU Lebohang – Free State
FORWARDS
BIYELA Thalente – KwaZulu Natal
MORERI Tebogo – Gauteng
ZAIME John – Northern Cape
