Pirates U-17 shine in global soccer championships

16 March 2016

 

The Orlando Pirates Under-17 team kept the South African flag flying high at the Future Champions International tournament at the Nike Centre in Klipspruit, Soweto, yesterday 15 March, when they registered their second win on the trot. 

 

The young Pirates lads, under the watchful eye of veteran Peruvian-born coach Augusto Palacious, made mincemeat of Brazilian outfit Atletico Mineiro when they beat them 3 -1 to top their group with six points in the bag.

It was the brilliance of 16-year-old striker Lyle Foster that motivated the Pirates youngsters. Foster scored a brace before Katlego Cwinyane completed the rout. Pirates had on Monday defeated Belgian side Club Brugge 1-0. The 12-team tournament features the likes of Spanish giants Atletico Madrid, Mexican outfit Club Tijuana, Brazil’s Club Atletico Mineiro, Chinese side Shandong Luneng, Torino FC of Italy and Mozambique’s outfit Clube Ferroviario.

Kaizer Chiefs slumped to their second successive defeat when they beaten 2-0 by Tijuana in what was a must-win match. The Amakhosi are bottom of their mini league log, having lost their opening game I-0 to Atletico Mineiro. In another match yesterday, Bidvest Wits showed no mercy to Ferroviario, whom they clubbed 4-0.

Earlier in the day Atletico Madrid overcame a stubborn Shandong Luneng 1-0 to register their second win of the tournament. Atletico Madrid are defending champions and on Monday roasted the Mozambican side 3-0.

Mamelodi Sundowns played to a goalless draw against Club Brugge – their second draw in as many matches, having played 1-all against Club Tijuana on Monday.

Soweto Safa Deputy President Willie Mooka said it was encouraging to see the standard of local football improving. He said unlike in the past, when overseas teams would simply run roughshod over local teams, local sides were giving their overseas opponents a good run for their money.

“This is a great opportunity for local lads and it prepares them for later in their football life. They are not suffering from stage fright anymore,” he said.