A soccer team from East London walked away with top honours at the Lukhanyo Memorial Soccer Tournament at Thornhill over the weekend.<\/p>\n
The visitors, Future Stars, beat the Jeffreys Bay team Umlilo in a nail-biting final that had to be decided through a penalty shoot-out.<\/p>\n
\u201cCongratulations to Future Stars on their victory. They played well throughout the tournament and the win was well deserved,\u201d said tournament founder, Mdodana Kota.<\/p>\n
He thanked all the teams that had participated in the tournament and commended them on the excellent sportsmanship that prevailed throughout.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt makes one proud to be part of the football fraternity,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The tournament drew wide support from the local community, and the stands were packed with supporters on both Saturday and Sunday.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were very pleased with the turn-out, which also included several VIP visitors from elsewhere in the province,\u201d Kota said.<\/p>\n
He further thanked Kouga Municipality\u2019s Traffic and Law Enforcement section for speaking to the players and supporters about staying safe on the roads.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy son, Lukhanyo, lost his life in a horrible accident near Thornhill in 2016. He was only 15 years old at the time.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis tournament is a way to remember him and others who have died on the road, while highlighting the importance of driving responsibly to other young people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Kouga Municipality\u2019s Community Services Portfolio Councillor, Daniel Benson, commended Kota, his organising committee and the tournament sponsors for arranging the event.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a fun way to drive home an important message.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is the second year that the tournament has taken place and we hope that it will grow from strength to strength in the years to come and reach even more young people,\u201d he said..<\/p>\n
. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A soccer team from East London walked away with top honours at the Lukhanyo Memorial Soccer Tournament at Thornhill over the 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