21 March 2018 – BidVest Wits will be the only local representatives in the semi-finals of the 2018 Future Champions Gauteng International Tournament after topping their pool with a late victory over Italian side AC Reggiana on Wednesday.

They will now face a semi-final clash with Dutch side ADO Den Haag on Friday, while the other Last 4 fixture sees Belgian outfit Club Brugge take on FC Spartak from Russia.

The four sides topped their first round pools on Wednesday as the group stages were complete with yet more thrilling football.

Wits secured their place with a deserved success as Ben Melamdowitz netted a late one for them.

They beat RCD Espanyol into second place in Group D despite the Spanish side claiming a 2-1 success over local favourites Orlando Pirates FC.

Oscar and Adria netted for the Spaniards, while Marx Hakeem grabbed what proved a consolation for the Young Buccaneers.

RCD Espanyol will now face Zambian side Nkana FC in their play-off game in two days’ time after they claimed a thrilling 3-2 success over Mamelodi Sundowns.

In a match that swung one way and then the other, Nelson Kaula, Mubanga Mulenga and Isaac Zulu were on target for the Zambians, while Thato Matli and Cassius Mailula netted for the local side.

ADO Den Haag claimed their semi-final place with a 3-1 win over Highlands Park, including a third goal of the competition for Lorenzo van Kleef, who moves to the top of the scorers chart.

Timo de Vreede and Rini van der Walt were also on target for the Netherlands side, while Eric Tivane grabbed the goal for Highlands Park.

Club Brugge stayed on course for the trophy as they beat Jomo Cosmos 1-0 with Gabriel Lemoine getting the only goal of the game, while FC Spartak secured their semi-final spot with a comprehensive 5-0 win over Namibian side Black Africa Hopsol.

Pavel Kosongov (two), Ilya Predeys, Nikita Iosifov and Nikita Morgynov netted for the Russians.

In the other play-off matches on Friday, Cosmos take on Black Africa Hopsol, there is a local derby as Highlands Park meet Orlando Pirates FC and Mamelodi Sundowns clash with AC Reggiana.

Entrance to all matches are FREE to the general public, while there will also be the final of the women’s competition as SAFA Johannesburg tackle SAFA Tshwane.

The teams will have the day off on Thursday and will take in the sights and sounds of Gauteng on a cultural tour.

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.

WEDNESDAY RESULTS

Jomo Cosmos 0 Club Brugge 1 (Gabriel Lemoine)

Mamelodi Sundowns 2 (Thato Matli, Cassius Mailula) Nkana FC 3 (Nelson Kaula, Mubanga Mulenga, Isaac Zulu)

Highlands Park 1 (Eric Tivane) ADO Den Haag 3 (Timo de Vreede, Lorenzo van Kleef, Rini van der Walt)

Black Africa Hopsol 0 FC Spartak 5 (Pavel Kosongov 2, Ilya Predeys, Nikita Iosifov, Nikita Morgynov)

RCD Espanyol 2 (Oscar, Adria) Orlando Pirates 1 (Marx Hakeem)

AC Reggiana 0 BidVest Wits 1 (Ben Melamdowitz)

STANDINGS

GROUP A

P    W    D    L    GF    GA    PTS

Club Brugge (Belgium)      3    2    0     1    5    2     6

Highlands Park (SA)          3    1    0     2    2    6     3

Jomo Cosmos (SA)           3    0    0    3    0     3     0

GROUP B

P    W    D    L    GF    GA    PTS

ADO Den Haag (Holland)     3     2    1    0    6    2    7

Nkana FC (Zambia)              3    2     0    1    4    4    6

Mamelodi Sundowns (SA)    3     1    1    1    5    5    4

GROUP C

P    W     D    L    GF    GA     PTS

FC Spartak (Russia)                    3     2     1     0    7    1    7

Orlando Pirates (SA)                   3     1     0     2    4    5    3

Black Africa Hopsol (Namibia)     3    1     0      2   3    9    3

GROUP D

P     W    D     L     GF    GA    PTS

BidVest Wits (SA)                        3    2    1    0    3    0    7

RCD Espanyol (Spain)                3    1    1    1    3    3    4

AC Reggiana (Italy)                     3    0    1    2    2    4    1

FRIDAY’S FIXTURES

10h00 – Jomo Cosmos vs Black Africa Hopsol

11h30 – Highlands Park vs Orlando Pirates

11h45 – Mamelodi Sundowns vs AC Reggiana

13h00 – Nkana FC vs RCD Espanyol

14h30 – Club Brugge vs FC Spartak (Semi-Final 1)

16h00 – ADO Den Haag vs BidVest Wits (Semi-Final 2)

TOURNAMENT STATS

Matches played: 18

Goals scored: 44

Biggest victory: Black Africa Hopsol 0 FC Spartak 5

Most goals in a game: Black Africa Hopsol 0 FC Spartak 5; Mamelodi Sundowns 2 Nkana FC 3

GOALSCORERS

3 goals – Lorenzo van Kleef (ADO Den Haag)

2 goals – Thando Buthelezi (Mamelodi Sundowns), Pavel Kosongov (FC Spartak), Simphiwe Mabena (BidVest Wits),

1 goal – Adria (RCD Espanyol), Oliver Baas (Black Africa), Nikita Bakaluk (FC Spartak), Ilya Bykovskij (FC Spartak), Siyabonga Buda (Orlando Pirates), Yoram Chanda (Nkana FC), Charles De Ketelaere (Club Brugge), Timo de Vreede (ADO Den Haag), Mathias De Wolf (Club Brugge), Marx Hakeem (Orlando Pirates), Nikita Iosifov (FC Spartak), Nelson Kaula (Nkana FC), Gabriel Lemoine (Club Brugge), Christiano Lorenzani (AC Reggiana), Augustine Mahlonoka (Orlando Pirates), Cassius Mailula (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thato Matli (Mamelodi Sundowns), Leighton McGalty (Black Africa Hopsol), Ben Melamdowitz (BidVest Wits), Nikita Morgynov (FC Spartak), Siphamandla Msezana (Orlando Pirates), Mubanga Mulenga (Nkana FC), Salomon Negumbo (Black Africa Hopsol), Siyamamkela Ntame (Highlands Park), Oriol (RCD Espanyol), Oscar (RCD Espanyol), Ilya Predeys (FC Spartak), Sem Reijn (ADO Den Haag), Thomas van den Keybus (Club Brugge), Eric Tivane (Highlands Park), Rini van der Walt (ADO Den Haag), Milan Vanacker (Club Brugge), Riandre Vries (Mamelodi Sundowns), Federico Ziveri (AC Reggiana), Isaac Zulu (Nkana FC)

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