Mashamba Combined School were too strong for Kgwatlhele Primary from Waterberg when they beat them 3-0 in the Danone Nation U/12 Cup match at Seshego Stadium on Saturday.

The match started at a fast pace, with both sides throwing caution to the wind with their fiery play. The Waterberg lads timed their passes to perfection but lacked power and experience. The strong defender of Mashamba, Devine Mahlaule, proved to be a force to be reckoned with and he marshalled the defence very well.

Kgwatlhele’s left flank, James Ngobeni, received a beautiful pass in the 17th minute. Instead of keeping the ball and trying other possible ways of scoring, Ngobeni tried his luck, but his shot went astray.

Two minutes later, Hulisani Mashamba of Mashamba received a golden opportunity and disappointed everyone when he shot straight at the stranded goalkeeper. The Waterberg lads showed a spirit of commitment. Their original stamina soon vanished and their backline started to leak. Mashamba capitalised on the slack defence and scored their opening goal in the 42nd minute, when Thendo Mulaudzi hit the net after an excellent corner kick by Hulisani Mashamba.

While Mashamba continued to put pressure on the backline of their opponents, Holule Thongoane added another tick in the 73rd minute.

After the second goal, the Mashamba coach told his players to show their skills. Devine Mahlaule scored his team's third goal late in the match to make the score 3-0. Mashamba and Mulaudzi started to dish the ball and entertained the spectators. With the victory, Mashamba ended in third position.

The Rev MP Malatjie Primary from Capricorn were crowned as the Limpopo champions, with Chuchekani Primary from Mopani in second place. Rev MP Malatjie will represent Limpopo in the national championship in July.