Berea FC are the Mafhungwana Tournament champions

Last Saturday was a memorable day for Berea Football Club. The team were crowned as the champions of the Mafhungwana Soccer Tournament at the Mukula Young Santos Grounds. Berea beat Saudi Arabia FC 6-5 in the final to lift the trophy. Their journey to the final went through Matangari High Aims, whom they defeated 2-1 in their semi-final match at the same venue earlier that day.

Berea received R20,000, a floating trophy, gold medals, two sets of soccer kits, and a soccer ball during a ceremony held at the grounds after the game. Saudi Arabia were awarded R10,000, two sets of soccer kits, silver medals, and a soccer ball. Saudi Arabia had beaten Tshimuthe FC 2-1 in their semi-final match to secure a place in the final.

Matangari High Aims, finishing in third place, received R7,000, a soccer kit, bronze medals, and a soccer ball. High Aims beat Tshimuthe FC 5-4 in their losers’ final, with the winner determined through a penalty shootout.

The teams beaten in the quarter-final stage were Napoli FC, Khubvi Dangerous Darkies, Vondwe United Brothers, and Musasenda Big Five.

This marked the third trophy for Berea within the span of two months, previously winning the Zwonaka and Lutande Restaurant Soccer Tournament at the Tshivhilwi Tshiberetheni Grounds and the Nwali Soccer Tournament at the Khubvi Benjie’s Grounds.

When asked about the secret behind the team’s success, the chairman of the club, Mr. Dakalo Ratshitanga, mentioned that they encouraged the players to give their best in each game to accumulate funds to run the team. He revealed that the players were aware that the team lacked a sponsor, and winning tournaments was their primary means of generating income.

Date:20 December 2023

By: Frank Mavhungu

Frank is a Human Resources Manager at the Department of Public Works in Limpopo. He is the longest serving correspondent of the Mirror, having joined us at the end of 1990.  He mainly writes sports reports and resides at Tsianda Village. In 2004, Frank won the National Castle League Award, an award for the best reporter in the SAB league in South Africa.

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