Malale Boys were crowned the champions of the Bilisi Sports Festival, held at the Tshenzhelani Grounds in the Niani area. They secured the title by defeating Dovho Bornfree FC 4-3 in a penalty shootout after a goalless draw at the end of regulation time.
During the awards ceremony held immediately after the final, Malale Boys were presented with R5,000, a soccer kit, a floating trophy, and a soccer ball. Dovho Bornfree received R2,500, a soccer kit, and a soccer ball for their second-place finish.
In their journey to the final, Malale Boys defeated Tshivhongweni Mighty Bucks 3-1 in the quarter-finals and went on to dominate Maramanzhi Pull Together with a 5-1 victory in the semi-finals.
Dovho Bornfree began their tournament with a win against Mutele Mountain Rangers in the opening match. They then triumphed over the hosts, Tshenzhelani Diitele, in the semi-finals with a 4-3 victory in a penalty shootout.
The teams eliminated in the semi-final round, Tshenzhelani Diitele and Maramanzhi Pull Together, each received R1,200 as consolation prizes.
Malale Boys participated for the first time in the tournament, and they emerged as the champions. The defending champions, Mutele Mountain Rangers, were eliminated in the quarter-finals this year.
The tournament was preceded by a fun run, with Mashudu Setjie winning the men's category and Arehone Siwada emerging as the champion in the women's category.
During the ceremony, Mr. Richard "Bilisi" Rambiyana, the founder of the tournament, announced that next year's event would have the largest sponsorship amount ever. He revealed that several prospective sponsors had already pledged their support for the tournament.