The first installment of the ESPN Africa Soccer Challenge took place in Johannesburg at the Sandton Sports Club on Thursday, August 3rd. The tournament featured top organizations from the city, all vying for the chance to be crowned champions. In attendance was:
- Betway
- MTN
- NBA
- ESPN
- Disney
- Media Legends
- Publicis
- Dentsu
- Oppo
- RMS Media
- Nedbank
The tournament was organized by sport pioneers, ESPN who will be shining a light on football this coming season, airing approximately 15 live games weekly. ESPN has also given Africans a platform to stay in the loop with the
DFB Pokal Cup and
Bundesliga, which was previously a challenge to find live coverage of.
In the end, it was the Betway team who emerged victorious bagging 4 clean sheets during their impressive display of athleticism. The final match was a fierce battle between Betway and Media legends that ended in a 0-0 draw. The match progressed to penalties where Betway’s goalkeeper, Akhona Gwele stunned, making it impossible for the Media Legend to take the cup.
Betway showed out, reminding everyone that they are leaders in the sport industry and not only in the digital space but on the field as well. In addition to the tournament win by the Betway team, two of the players took home spectacular awards! The best women player of the day was awarded to Betway’s Tahlia Holtzhausen.
Who was a constant threat in attack and showed absolutely no fear playing against her male counterparts. The goalkeeper of the day award went to Betway’s Akhona Gwele who’s skill added a cup to Betway’s trophy cabinet during the nail-biting penalties.
The ESPN Africa Soccer Challenge was a great success. It was a well-organized tournament and an amazing opportunity for corporates to have fun outside of the office with some exciting matches. The Betway team were worthy winners, and they will be hoping to defend their title next year.