The boys’ team of Virginia Academy and the girls’ team of Napoli FC will represent the Free State at this year’s national Engen Champ of Champs football tournament in Johannesburg. They were crowned as the provincial U19 champions in their respective categories at the Clive Solomon Stadium on Sunday (27/08).
With this victory in Bloemfontein, Academy extended the record it holds for winning the Free State title to 11 times.
The two winning teams had to work hard, facing off against equally determined opponents, to each lift a trophy.
Napoli narrowly beat the team’s home counterparts from Botshabelo, Mosa FC, 1 – 0; while Virginia Academy won 4 – 2 on penalty shoot-outs against the gutsy Junior Birds FC – a regular provincial finalist, also from Botshabelo.
To reach the final in the boys’ category, Birds outclassed Super Falcons FC 2 – 1 and Inspiration FC 5 – 0, while Academy beat the Fouriesburg-based Golden Eagles 1 – 0 and, in the semifinal, Napoli 2 – 0.
On their road to the final, the Napoli girls defeated Makhalaneng Ambassadors FC from Phuthaditjhaba 2 – 0 and thus secured a debut at the national competition, set to be staged from 22 to 25 September.
Academy atoned for the loss suffered, by an odd goal, to the Bloemfontein-based HTS Louis Botha in last year’s provincial final, also played in Bloemfontein. The team of Louis Botha proved its pedigree by going on to become the first team from the Free State to reach the semifinal of the national Champ of Champs tournament.
Previous holders of the provincial crown are Botshabelo’s Roo Stars and the Moroka Hostel Academy. Stars became the second team to win the title in 2017 after beating Brebner High School, while Moroka beat Grey College in 2019.
