Econet Soccer Spectacular takes centre stage on Saturday

Matlama will go into the Econet Soccer Spectacular as favourites...

The Econet Soccer Spectacular has been the talk of the town for the past two weeks and the tournament will finally take centre stage on Saturday at Setsoto Stadium.

The pre-season showpiece was launched a fortnight ago by league sponsors Econet and until Wednesday all 14 Econet Premier League vied for the tournament’s four spots through an SMS voting line.

In the end, a total of 124 919 votes came in and, ultimately, the top four teams were Majantja, Liphakoe, Matlama and Linare.

Econet Soccer Spectacular Voting Results:
Team	Votes
1) Liphakoe 2) Linare 3) Majantja 4) Matlama 5) LCS 6) Lioli 7) Bantu 8) Kick4Life 9) Sefotha-fotha 10) Swallows 11) LMPS 12) Likhopo 13) Galaxy 14) LDF	20 178 19 297 18 715 18 151 14 091 12 640 12 882 5791 1412 476 172 65 26 13

The draw for the tournament was made on Thursday.

Majantja will face Matlama in the first-ever Econet Soccer Spectacular game before Liphakoe go up against Linare in the second semi-final.

The semi-final winners will then face-off in the final later in the day.

Tickets for the Econet Soccer Spectacular went on sale on Monday at all Econet shops across the country and the first of its kind pre-season tournament has excited fans since its launch.

The anticipation only grew throughout the two-week voting process.

When the voting results were announced on Wednesday it was a shock that the country’s two leading clubs, Bantu and Lioli, couldn’t garner enough votes to qualify for the Econet Soccer Spectacular.

Bantu and Lioli’s absence, however, gives a chance for other sides to enjoy the spotlight.

Matlama, fourth-place finishers in last season’s Econet Premier League season, will go into the tournament as favourites. Tse Putsoa, however, won’t be the same side with Mosito Matela gone as coach despite a stellar campaign that included an LNIG Top 8 title and Thabile Secker is now in charge.

The calm before the storm...
Setsoto Stadium will be the place to be on Saturday

The three other contestants are popular clubs in their own right and are the pride of their respective districts – Linare for Leribe, Majantja for Mohale’s Hoek and Liphakoe for Quthing.

Indeed, the tournament has a north versus south feel to it with Maseru and Leribe going up against the southern districts Mohale’s Hoek and Quthing.

On Saturday the fans of Matlama, Linare, Majantja and Liphakoe will have a chance to revel in the sun at what, hopefully, will be a packed Setsoto Stadium.

Econet Soccer Spectacular:

Semi-finals

Majantja v Matlama – 11:00

Liphakoe v Linare – 13:00

Final

Distribution of funds raised: 

§  1/3 (one third) of all gate-takings shared amongst the four competing teams as prize money, with the following ratio:

-          40% for the tournament winner

-          30% for the runner-up

-          15% each for the remaining two teams

§  2/3 (two thirds) of all gate-takings shared equally amongst all the fourteen league clubs

Tournament details:

Date: Saturday, August 25

Time: Gates open at 8:00. First match kicks off at 11:00

Venue: Setsoto Stadium, Maseru

Number of matches: 3 matches in one day: two knockout matches and one final match.

Ticket price: M20.00 per person and M10 per vehicle.