THE cream of the crop in South African football have gathered for the annual SAB Under-21 National Championships taking place at Umlazi’s King Zwelithini Stadium in KwaZulu-Natal.
The weeklong tournament that features teams from the nine provinces KZN, Western Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, North West, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Free State as well as a University Sports South Africa team, started yesterday and will run until Sunday when the champions will be crowned.
The teams have been split into two groups, Group A and B. The top two teams in each group will progress to the semifinal on Friday.
The SAB U-21 event is regarded as one of the biggest development competitions in the country and has lived up to expectation in the past, producing numerous players who went on to play in the Absa Premiership and National First Division.
Their most recent star graduate is Kaizer Chiefs striker Yusuf Bunting who stole the show in last year’s edition, ending as top goal-scorer with 12 goals in five matches and winning the Player of the Tournament accolade.
Gauteng, who are led by former Orlando Pirates and Black Leopards midfielder Mandla Zwane, kicked off the tournament on a positive note when they recorded a convincing 2-0 victory over Free State.
Zwane said it was important for them to get maximum points in the opening match.
“There’s pressure when you are the champions. It’s obvious that all eyes are on us but we will absorb the pressure.”
