Courtesy: The Herald on Line


Another first for PE as Futsal hits town

By Mogan Segadavan

PORT ELIZABETH, which boasts a number of firsts in the sporting world, will add another this weekend when the first inter-provincial Futsal (indoor soccer) tournament takes place in the Yebo Gogo Indoor Sports centre at the NMMU Vista campus.

Ten teams including Western Province, who with six national players in their squad will start as favourites, and Ithekweni City (Durban) will participate in the three day tournament.

According to Nelson Mandela Bay Futsal president Adrian Padayachee being allocated the tournament is a feather in the cap for both the metro as well as the local body which only got off the ground earlier this year.

At the end of the tournament, a national squad will be chosen to tour France early in the new year.

While WP will be the team to watch, local players Farouk Abrahams, goalkeeper Anthony Thomas and the Frost brothers could earn national colours.

Futsal had its origins in Latin America with European Footballer of the Year , Ronaldhino and other Brazilian superstars having honed their skills in the sport.

It is already an Olympic sport and has its own World Cup.

This weekend’s tournament will commence at 8.30am daily and admission is free.

The 2010 CEO Danny Jordaan, Charmaine Williams and Mbulelo Gidane will be the guests at the official opening of the tournament at 11am on Friday morning.

The local team played friendlies against Maximillians and PE Technikon at the George Botha Indoor Centre last night.


Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com