21 March 2018 – Russian side FC Spartak took control of their Group C at the 2018 Future Champions Gauteng International Tournament on Tuesday with a 2-1 victory over local favourites Orlando Pirates FC at the Nike Football Training Centre in Pimville, Soweto.
It was the culmination of another exceptional day of football as the Under-17 sides showed plenty of skill, with the pools beginning to take shape.
Ilya Bykovskij put Spartak ahead with a rocket shot from 30-yards, but Pirates equalized soon afterwards as Siphamandla Msezana netted from the edge of the box. That joy was short-lived for the Soweto side as Nikita Bakaluk restored Spartak’s lead from the penalty spot and the Russians held on for what could prove a crucial victory.
Belgian outfit Clube Brugge assumed pole position in Group A as they defeated local side Highlands Park 3-0 in a victory that showed their potential.
Charles De Ketelaere, Mathias De Wolf and Thomas van den Keybus were on target for the Belgians as they gave a boost to their goal-difference in what is the biggest margin of victory in the competition so far.
South Africa side Mamelodi Sundowns and Dutch club ADO Den Haag played to a hard-fought 1-1 draw that took both sides to four points in Group B.
Sem Reijn netted for ADO, while Riandre Vries was on target for the Gauteng outfit.
Zambian side Nkana FC got their first win of the competition as they inflicted a second successive defeat on Jomo Cosmos with Yoram Chanda getting the only goal of the game.
And Black Africa Hopsol also bounced back from an opening day defeat to beat Italian club AC Reggiana 2-1.
Leighton McGalty and Salomon Negumbo scored for the Namibian club, while Christiano Lorenzani netted what proved a consolation for the Italians.
Simphiwe Mabena then got a brace as local club BidVest Wits recorded an excellent 2-0 success over RCD Espanyol from Spain to move to the head of Group D, with one foot in the semi-finals.
Only the top team in each pool advances to the semi-final matches that will be played on Friday.
The action continues with the final round of pool matches on Wednesday with another six match-ups, as the games getting under way at 10h00.
Entrance to all matches are FREE to the general public.
The Future Champions Gauteng International Tournament is celebrating its 10th year of giving some of the top junior players in the world the chance to share the same pitch and develop their skills against different styles of football.
Past winners include Boca Juniors from Argentina in 2009, with Chinese side Shandong Luneng victors in 2010, before Atletico Mineiro claimed the next two and triumphed again in 2014.
Mexican side Club Tijuana won in 2013, Italy’s Torino in 2015 and Spain’s Atletico Madrid in both 2016 and 2017.
The Future Champions Gauteng International Tournament is organised by Global Sports International in conjunction with the Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, the Gauteng Department of Education and SAFA.
This year’s competition will also be supported by Sedgars Sport, Clinix, LaLiga, Gauteng Coaches and the City of Joburg.
TUESDAY’S RESULTS
Club Brugge 3 (Charles De Ketelaere, Mathias De Wolf, Thomas van den Keybus) Highlands Park 0
ADO Den Haag 1 (Sem Reijn) Mamelodi Sundowns 1 (Riandre Vries)
Jomo Cosmos 0 Nkana FC 1 (Yoram Chanda)
Black Africa Hopsol 2 (Leighton McGalty, Salomon Negumbo) AC Reggiana 1 (Christiano Lorenzani)
BidVest Wits 2 (Simphiwe Mabena 2) RCD Espanyol 0
Orlando Pirates 1 (Siphamandla Msezana) FC Spartak 2 (Ilya Bykovskij, Nikita Bakaluk pen)
STANDINGS
GROUP A
P W D L GF GA PTS
Club Brugge (Belgium) 2 1 0 1 4 2 3
Highlands Park (SA) 2 1 0 1 1 3 3
Jomo Cosmos (SA) 2 0 0 1 0 2 0
GROUP B
P W D L GF GA PTS
ADO Den Haag (Holland) 2 1 1 0 3 1 4
Mamelodi Sundowns (SA) 2 1 1 0 3 2 4
Nkana FC (Zambia) 2 1 0 1 1 2 3
GROUP C
P W D L GF GA PTS
FC Spartak (Russia) 2 1 1 0 2 1 4
Orlando Pirates (SA) 2 1 0 1 4 3 3
Black Africa Hopsol (Namibia) 2 1 0 1 3 4 3
GROUP D
P W D L GF GA PTS
BidVest Wits (SA) 2 1 1 0 2 0 4
AC Reggiana (Italy) 2 0 1 1 2 3 1
RCD Espanyol (Spain) 2 0 1 1 1 3 1
WEDNESDAY’S FIXTURES
10h00 – Jomo Cosmos vs Clube Brugge
11h30 – Nkana FC vs Mamelodi Sundowns
11h45 – ADO Den Haag vs Highlands Park
13h00 – Black Africa Hopsol vs FC Spartak
14h30 – RCD Espanyol vs Orlando Pirates
16h00 – AC Reggiana vs BidVest Wits
TOURNAMENT STATS
Matches played: 12
Goals scored: 26
Biggest victory: Club Brugge 3 Highlands Park 0
Most goals in a game: Black Africa 1 Orlando Pirates 3
GOALSCORERS
2 goals – Thando Buthelezi (Mamelodi Sundowns), Simphiwe Mabena (BidVest Wits), Lorenzo van Kleef (ADO Den Haag)
1 goal – Oliver Baas (Black Africa Hopsol), Nikita Bakaluk (FC Spartak), Ilya Bykovskij (FC Spartak), Siyabonga Buda (Orlando Pirates), Yoram Chanda (Nkana FC), Charles De Ketelaere (Club Brugge), Mathias De Wolf (Club Brugge), Marx Hakeem (Orlando Pirates), Christiano Lorenzani (AC Reggiana), Augustine Mahlonoka (Orlando Pirates), Leighton McGalty (Black Africa Hopsol), Siphamandla Msezana (Orlando Pirates), Salomon Negumbo (Black Africa Hopsol), Siyamamkela Ntame (Highlands Park), Oriol (RCD Espantol), Sem Reijn (ADO Den Haag), Thomas van den Keybus (Club Brugge), Milan Vanacker (Club Brugge), Riandre Vries (Mamelodi Sundowns), Federico Ziveri (AC Reggiana)
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