FORMER Bafana Bafana midfielder, Maimane Phiri hopes the Maimane Alfred Phiri Games (MAP) will attract more sponsors next year.
“We have knocked on many doors. Hopefully next year many of those doors will open for us,” he said.
Braamfischer Eagles walked away with R140 000 in prize money after beating Reiger Park Rebels 4-2 on penalties in the Games’ final match played at Alexandra Stadium on Sunday.
The clubs were locked at 1-1 after 90 minutes.
Drama Queens took the women’s crown and a healthy R25 000 in prize money after defeating Palace Super Falcons 5-4 on penalties following a 2-2 draw.
The off-season tournament draws scores of spectators, from the first match until the final one, with amateur players hoping to score professional contracts as a number of scouts and agents regularly attend the competition.
Phiri said the competitiveness in the tournament grows every year and teams find it hard to defend their titles.
He said: “The stakes were high. The teams that we invite are some of the strongest around. We check with the winners to see how they can help improve the tournament.”
Phiri said the competition would continue being staged in Alexandra.
Drama Queens assistant coach, Simon Blangwe, said: “We hadn’t been training since the league went on a break and this gave us a chance to see how we fare.
“Some of our players are on national duty with Banyana Banyana too.”
