Aztec Masters have eyes set on league title after Easter tournament win

THE SOL Plaatje Master Football League's annual Easter soccer tournament was a huge success, with 35 teams taking part in the keenly contested event.

Teams from across the region battled it out for glory on the field, but in the end, it was Aztec Masters and Macarena Masters that faced off as the eventual finalists in the tournament.

The final match was an intense showdown between the two teams, with both sides giving their all to come out on top. However, in the end, it was the Aztec Masters who ultimately proved too strong for their opponents, winning the game 3-1 and securing the coveted 2023 title.

ALSO READ: Aztec Masters are the 2023 Easter Tournament champions

Throughout the tournament, the fans showed their unwavering support for their teams, filling the stands and cheering their teams on. The atmosphere was electric throughout the competition as the teams fought it out on the field, with both players and fans alike displaying their passion for the sport.

The DFA had a chat with Aztec Masters captain Molehe Ledibane after his team had wrapped up the title.

ALSO READ: Bigger and better – Get ready for the 2023 Easter football Tournament

The 38-year-old skipper told the DFA that he has been playing for Aztec Masters for three years now, and this is the first year that he was chosen to be the full-time captain of the team.

When asked about how often the team practices, surprisingly Ledibane said that they don’t practise at all and that they only play together every Sunday.

“Some of the players are very family-oriented, and others stay out of town, so we don’t get time to practise. Winning this tournament meant a lot to the team because this is the first time this team has won a trophy together,” he said.

According to Ledibane, Aztecs will win the Sol Plaatje Master Football League this year.

“Currently, we are number one in the Sol Plaatje Master Football League. We still have lots of games ahead of us this year, but if I look at how the guys are playing and I see the fire in their eyes, then I know there is no stopping us.

“Winning the league this year will prove to everybody that we are the best team and that all our effort has paid off.

“We would be failing though if we did not thank our supporters who turn up at all our games. They are the 12th man on the Aztec team; without their support we as a team would not be the unit that they are. I doubt that we would be doing as well as we have been.

“We arrived at the tournament wanting to make our supporters proud by winning the tournament, and we achieved that for them. And now we have our sights set on clinching the League title too for our fans.”

Sol Plaatje Masters Football League Chairman, Seabata Makhele, said that the 2023 Easter Tournament was the biggest and best yet, given the fact that they now had 35 clubs participating in this year’s competition.

“The support from the community was the largest for all of the previous years and shows that the tournament is growing exponentially. There were no major challenges on the field of play, and we only had two protests from clubs, but those were resolved by the Tournament Committee,” he said.

“The standard of play this year was much higher than previous years, with many clubs surprisingly making it through to the knockout stages that we didn’t think would.

“The rain was also a big challenge, and some games had to be rescheduled for the next day, which affected our time schedule a little, but we managed to complete all the games on time,” Makhele added.

“Other than that, the tournament was a huge success, and thanks to the clubs, officials, and the community at large for their support.”

By now it seems obvious that the success of the Easter Tournament has set the stage for an exciting and highly competitive season ahead.

As the league continues, soccer fans will be keeping a close eye on the leaderboard to see if Aztecs can maintain their momentum.

However, with quite a number of games still to play, anything can happen, and the chasing pack knows that top spot is still up for grabs. The fans have shown their unwavering support for their teams, and the players have displayed their passion for the sport.

So, to our soccer fans, buckle up; it’s definitely going to be a thrilling ride.