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Good advert for SA soccer

The Telkom Knockout final, between Silver Stars and surprise package Ajax Cape Town made critics and cynics eat humble pie.

The Telkom Knockout final, between Silver Stars and surprise package Ajax Cape Town made critics and cynics eat humble pie.

Most soccer followers believed that the two teams' meeting will not be a success, but they were taken aback when they saw the capacity crowd and a smoothly ran final at the incomplete Super Stadium in Atteridgeville at the weekend.

Many soccer lovers were looking at the big guns like Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs to feature in the final of the newly introduced competition. Needless to say, they were left with egg on their faces.

I was optimistic that the two finalists would give a good account of themselves on the day and they did.

The soccer displayed and the well behaved crowd was a good advert for South African football.

People came from all corners of the country to witness this encounter and they were not disappointed.

Though the Urban Warriors lost, they were not disgraced because they gave their all in this encounter.

They say local is lekker, that is what Owen da Gama, Silver Stars' coach, once more proved when he lifted this lucrative trophy.

On the other hand, his side has been leading the Castle Premiership's log for some time now, and the team is gradually proving to be a force to be reckoned with in the league.

Credit should also go to the "Tycoons" striker, Hareaipha "Simba" Marumo, the youngster who single-handedly demolished the Urban Warriors.

Marumo, who was rejected by Moroka Swallows and Mamelodi Sundowns as a washed-out player, proved a point in this game.

Since he joined Stars, Marumo's career, which was gradually going to the scrap heap, has been revived by Da Gama, which shows that the Stars coach is not your ordinary mentor.

It was also fitting for the North West side to lift this trophy and be crowned the new monarchs.

The Telkom Cup committee needs to be applauded for taking the game to the township, and we hope that in future more games of this magnitude will be brought on the supporters' door steps.

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