Johannesburg-Bidvest Wits, Kaizer Chiefs, KwaZulu Natal and Free State have qualified for the semifinals of the SAFA U17 Inter-Provincial Tournament that is taking place at the Nike Football Training Centre in Pimville, Soweto. 

Wits topped Group A, Chiefs Group B and KwaZulu Natal led Group C while Free State (Group B) qualified as the best runner up.

Hosts Gauteng failed to make the grade after managing only one win in three matches – beating Mpumalanga 4-0 in their last match. But it was too little too late as they had already lost two matches, going down 5-0 and 2-1 to Kaizer Chiefs and Free State respectively.

Chiefs won two and drew one, ending on seven points. They were followed by Free State with the same number of points, but with an inferior goal difference.

Gauteng finished third with the fourth spot going to Mpumalanga who failed to win a match or even score a goal. They exit the tournament with no points and proved to have a porous defence, letting in 13 goals.

Bidvest Wits topped Group A with ease – getting three wins and ending on nine points. Wits booked their semifinal place with a hard-fought 2-1 win over North West, who finished third in the group with three points. Second place went to Limpopo who could only garner four points after being held to a 2-2 draw by Western Cape – the only point the coastal side got in the competition as they ended in fourth place.

Group C went to the wire.

After two victories in their first two matches, leaders Mamelodi Sundowns looked on course to book a place in the last four but their chances of qualification were dented when they lost 3-2 to KwaZulu Natal.

With second-placed KZN breathing down their necks two points adrift, Sundowns had to wait for the final match of the day between KZN and the whipping boys of the group Northern Cape to see who goes to the last four.

It was not to be for the Brazilians as the KZN side registered an all-important 2-1 win to book their place in Friday’s (4 April) semifinal showdown.

KZN finished on seven points to take the honours in Group C, one head of Sundowns. Third place was taken by Eastern Cape while the Northern Cape failed to register victory in all matches and ended with no points in fourth place.

“This has been an exciting tournament so far with players showing their God-given talent. I want to believe this was a masterstroke by the South African Football Association (SAFA) to have an event of this nature. As an Association, we would like to extend their gratitude to Burger King and Grand Parade Investment for their investment into youth football. Without them this exercise would not have been possible,” said SAFA CEO Dennis Mumble.

“We urge the people of Soweto and surrounding areas to come in numbers to watch as we build future national team players in action.”

Here are the results from Day 2:

Thursday, 3 April 2014

10. Kaizer Chiefs               5              0              Mpumalanga                    

11. Gauteng                       1              2              Free State                          

12. KwaZulu Natal            3              2              Mamelodi Sundowns    

13. Eastern Cape              4              2              Northern Cape                 

14. North West                 1              2              Bidvest Wits                      

15. Western Cape            2              2              Limpopo                             

16. Free State                    1              1              Kaizer Chiefs                     

17. Mpumalanga              0              4              Gauteng                             

18. Northern Cape           1              2              KwaZulu Natal                  

Semi Final Fixtures:

Semi Final 1

19. Kaizer Chiefs (

Winner Group B)         v              KZN (

Winner Group C) 

09h00 

Semi Final 2

20. Bidvest Wits (

Winner Group A)          v              Free State (

Best Runner Up)

11h00 

3

rd/4

th Place Playoffs

21.  Loser Semi-Final 1                                    v              Loser Semi Final 2           

15h30 

FINAL:

Sunday, 6 April 2014

22. Winner Semi-Final 1                 v              Winner Semi Final 2       

12h30
-TDN
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