THE New Brighton Football Association (Nebfa) under-17 team clinched the Safa NMB junior inter-local football association (LFA) soccer tournament when they pipped Nobuhle Despatch Football Association (Nodefa) 3-2 on penalties in the final at the Finnis Street sports ground this week.
The tournament, which was initiated last year, was organised by Safa NMB and is aimed at getting the youth off the streets during school holidays.
This year, 55 teams in age groups from u-9 to u-17 competed for the NMB junior LFA championships crown.
Nebfa took home a floating trophy and gold medals, while Nodefa received silver medals.
Organiser Angelique Jennings said the tournament did not have any big sponsors yet, because it was still new on the scene.
She said the objective of the event was to showcase the talent of junior players in each age group while the schools were in recess.
"We want the best junior players to be seen and be given an opportunity to play for professional teams and Bafana Bafana or their academy sides," Jennings said.
"We are now seeing more players taking part in the tournament.
"Last year, there were players' scouts attending the games, who selected two players to play for Supersport United Academy side – but they did not come here this year."
Jennings said the success of the tournament was the partnership Safa NMB was building with the LFA.
Safa NMB president Mzimkhulu Fina said he supported the grassroots soccer tournaments in the metro.
"There is still more that needs to be done to develop football from the grassroots level and these games are just the beginning of our plans," Fina said.
Other age-group final results were:
under-9: Nafa Elephant 3 Pefa 1
under-11: Nafa Elephant 3 Nafa Lions 1
under-13: Nafa Lions 3 Mofa 0
under-15: Mofa 2 Nebfa 0
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