First timers win the Danone Nations Cup Gauteng Provincial Finals

Benoni’s Farrarmere Primary School became the ninth and final school to win their provincial title in the 2014 under-12 Danone Nations Cup soccer tournament when they beat Sonqoba Primary 2-1 in the final of the Gauteng provincial playoffs at the WJ Clements Stadium in Reiger Park last Saturday.

The win means that Farrarmere will join the other eight provincial champions for the national finals, at the same venue, on Saturday 28^th June. The winners on that day will take the national title and, with it, the chance to represent the nation at the Danone Nations Cup World Finals in Sao Paulo, Brazil in November.

The Gauteng provincial title is a fairy tale come true for Farrarmere. It was the first time they have competed in the competition and according to their coach, Jacques Martinaglia, it has been an awesome experience for the team. “Being our first experience in the tournament winning the provincials was never in our minds,” he said.  “We told ourselves that this year we want to learn and have fun as we didn’t know what to expect. Winning the provincials was a shock, but we are happy and excited that we won. We are proud of the entire team and a step closer to going to Brazil.”

Martinaglia is a qualified rugby coach, but he said that he just fell in love with soccer and decided to coach. He has since attended a few coaching clinics run by the Dutch by KNVB body and by SAFA and he has created his winning formula on what he learned there.

On the build up to the nationals the coach said, “We will be doing basic training and play one friendly game over the weekend. The nationals are going to be grueling and competitive. We are not putting pressure on the boys and we will be happy with whatever result we get.”

Striker Breidyn Schaper is the team’s star player.  His sterling performance caught the eye of the Mamelodi Sundowns scout that attended the tournament.

Breidyn has been playing soccer from the age of six and is following in his father, Shawn Schaper’s footsteps. The older Schaper played for Amazulu for a number of years. “He influenced me to play soccer. I want to start where he finished off and hopefully go further than he got,” Breidyn said.

Breidyn scored 5 goals during the provincial finals and is looking forward to more at the nationals. “I am hoping to score in every game, but I know it won’t be easy,” he said.  “The week before the nationals my dad and I are going to review my performance at the provincials and see what I need to improve on come the nationals.”

Results of the Gauteng Provincial Finals:

Arcon 1 vs Bree 1 (Arcon won on penalties)

Lotus 0 vs Farrarmere 2

Sonqoba 2 vs Sihluziwe 0

Mathlasedi 2 vs Nationwide 1

Arcon 0 vs Sonqoba 2

Lotus 4 vs Mathlasedi 1

Bree 2 vs Sihluziwe 0

Farrarmere 0 vs Nationwide 0 (Nationwide won on penalties)

Sihluziwe 0  vs Arcon 0 (Sihluziwe won on penalties)

Nationwide 1 vs Lotus 1 (Nationwide won on penalties)

Sonqoba 0 vs Bree 0 (Bree won on penalties)

Mathlasedi 0 vs Farrarmere 3

Final - Farrarmere 2 Sonqobo 1

The nine provincial champions are:

Roodepan Primary School (Kimberley) - Frances Bard district, Northern Cape

Siphumelele Primary School (Inanda) – Pinetown district, KwaZulu-Natal

Credo Primary School (Sasolburg) - Fezile Dabi district, Free State

Rev MP Malatjie Primary School (Seshego) - Capricorn district, Limpopo

Kgetleng Primary School (Swartruggens) -  Ngaka Modiri Molema district, North West

Johannes Kananda Primary School (Witbank) – Nkangala district, Mpumalanga

Caley Junior Secondary School (Butterworth) – Amathole district, Eastern Cape

Lukhanyo Primary School (Hermanus) – Overberg, Western Cape

Farrarmere Primary School (Benoni) – Ekurhuleni North district, Gauteng