21 Aug 2022

Calendar Stars were crowned the inaugural CS Soccer Tournament champions in Francistown on Saturday.

Nico United, Eleven Angels, Calendar Stars and Chadibe FC took part in the tournament.

Carlos Sebina sponsored the tourney to help teams ready for start of their respective leagues.   

Stars thrashed Nico United 5-3 in a penalty shootout to pocket the P25 000 grand prize while the Selebi Phikwe side bagged P15 000 as runner ups.

The teams were awarded gold and silver medals respectively.

The bronze medalist Eleven Angels won P7 500 whilst Chadibe FC settled for the fourth position, pocketing P5 000.

Rebaone Joseph of Chadibe FC was voted the young player (under 21 years) of the tournament whilst Kelvin Ndebele of Nico United won the best player of the tournament and were awarded P1v000 each.

Top goalscorer, Jacob Mloyi, pocketed P750, courtesy of all the various sponsors who contributed towards the success of the event.

Calendar Stars’ Monkgogi Mokalabe went home P1 000 richer for being the best goalkeeper.

Calendar Stars made their intentions known early as they played impressively from eliminations, holding Chadibe FC to a goalless draw.

The two went to a penalty shoot where Calendar Stars won by a slight margin of 5-4.

Nico beat 11 Angels 1-0 to proceed to the final where they met the Francistown side.

Nico and Stars played to an all 1-draw in the final.

Calendar Stars had started the game on a high note in the first segment of the game when Thabo Ngada registered the first goal for his team in the 33 minute after a calculated attack inside the box.

Calendar Stars continued to dominate the first segment of the game until the two teams went to recess with Calendar Stars leading 1-0.

The second half saw Calendar Stars more organised, but failed to penetrate Nico United’s defence who seemed to have changed the game plan.

Nico United striker, Botsie Mloyi totally changed the complexion of the game as he piled attacks on Calendar Stars defence.

His efforts seemed futile as Calendar Stars goalkeeper Monkgogi Mokalabe seemed to have purposed to defy Mloyi’s mission.  

But Mloyi’s apparent plan of redeeming the mining side worked as he equalized on the last minute of the game.

Consequently, the teams went to penalty shootout that favoured Calendar Stars.

Mokalabe could not hide his excitement after he defended a goal during the penalty shootout to ensure victory for his team.

The organiser, Sebina said the tournament went as planned adding the Francistown business community also benefitted from the event.

“I want to thank all the Francistowners who came in large numbers not only to support their teams, but also to take advantage by selling their goods to make a living, he added.

Sebina also promised that the next tournament will be bigger and better adding that the now annual event would encompass other sporting codes should things go as planned. ENDS