The Former Black Leopards team emerged as the winners of the Murida Legends Cup after beating Thohoyandou Block G Masters 7-6 by a penalty shootout. The games were played at the Makwarela Stadium on Sunday, 30 October.
The Murida Legends Cup was a one-day soccer tournament initiated by well-known reggae artist Khakhathi "Murida" Tshisikule of Mbaleni village and was sponsored by MR21 Funeral Insurance. Shisharo Masters FC and KK and Friends Invitation FC also participated.
In the preliminary matches, Thohoyandou Block G Masters beat Shisharo Masters FC 2-0, while the Former Black Leopards beat KK and Friends Invitation FC 4-2.
According to Tshisikule, the players of all four teams were mostly former soccer stars from around Thohoyandou. He said that this first-of-its-kind tournament was aimed at giving back to the communities that had supported his music career over many years.
Soccer fans were also entertained by local comedian Vho-Nyawa, Tshisikule himself, who is also a traditional rhumba dancer. The Venda Mapantsula Club and Benny Doctor also entertained the fans.
Former Black Leopards went home with R3 000, a soccer kit and a floating trophy. Thohoyandou Block G Masters ended in second place and received R2 000 in cash and a ball, KK and Friends Invitation FC won R1 000 and a ball, while Shisharo Masters FC ended fourth and received R1 000.
The captain of Former Black Leopards, Mr Mulondo Sikhwivhilu, who is a former player of the Black Leopards, SuperSport and Orlando Pirates, was very happy about their victory and thanked the organisers of the tournament who had enabled them to come together as former players of big teams in the country.
Sikhwivhilu, along with other former Black Leopards players such as Matari Netshidzivhe, Godfrey Ramudzuli, Erick Ramavhale, and Sathiel Phasha, were all excited to revive the game of soccer again.
Tshisikule said that, with soccer being his favourite sport, he hoped to hold the tournament at least twice a year.