It’s been eight action-packed weeks since the Selati Cup 2018 kicked off. As the soccer tournament draws to a close with the top 16 now in contention, Mpumalanga is holding its breath to see who this year’s winner will be.
Last year, Kamhlushwa Real Madrid were crowned the Selati Cup champions after defeating Buffelspruit Home Defenders in a close encounter that came down to the final minutes.
Kenneth Phiri, Selati Cup tournament co-ordinator, says: “As always, we’ve come to expect a high level of performance and an impressive spirit of competition from all the teams taking part in the Selati Cup.
“In 13 years, no team has ever won the cup more than once, which shows just how competitive the field really is. Each year, new talent comes to the fore and stronger teams come into the running, so we’re looking forward to seeing what this year’s final has in store.”
More than 120 teams have been whittled down to just 16 over the course of the past two months. All the heart-pounding action culminates on June 3 with about 15,000 spectators crowding into Kamhlushwa Stadium to cheer their favourites on as they compete for a prize of more than R100,000.
The Selati Cup is also a grassroots soccer breeding ground where scouts from the national teams come in search of fresh talent. Local stars such as Enocent Mkhabela, Velile Zitha, Mpho Mbebe, Jabulani Dladla and Ludick Mkhatshwa all found their way onto the national stage after being scouted at tournaments.