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NC teams headed for the big time as they climb to ABC Motsepe League

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Warrenvale Stars and Benfica are now confirmed entrants to the ABC Motsepe League play bill for the 2022/23 season.

Warrenvale Stars are the new entrants to the ABC Motsepe League from the lower Men’s Regional League (formerly SAB League) along with Benfica FC of Springbok. Picture: Supplied

Warrenton’s Warrenvale Stars FC and Benfica FC of Springbok emerged victorious from the Safa Men’s Inter-Regional League play-offs which were held at the Karos Sports grounds in Upington over the weekend.

The two teams are now confirmed entrants to the ABC Motsepe League play bill for the 2022/23 season.

Warrenvale Stars fans celebrated their team’s promotion with social media posts praising the team.

A confidante close to the Warrenvale camp revealed that the going was extremely tough for the lads leading up to the provincial play-offs which are aimed at determining an overall winner of the dual stream Men’s Regional League, formerly the SAB League.

First Warrenvale had to overcome stiff opposition from fellow title contenders in the Frances Baard leg of the league. They won the Frances Baard Stream B league and had to face off against Saints of Colville who were the winners of Stream A in the Frances Baard league. That match was played in Ulco on Sunday May 6.

Warrenvale won the match on penalties after the score had stalled at 0-0.

From winning in Frances Baard Warrenvale Stars forged ahead to the second phase of the competition – the Inter Regional play-offs where they contested alongside four other regions for the overall championship of the province which would afford them elevation to the Safa ABC Motsepe League.

Warrenvale Stars were drawn with Black Cats of Upington and Warrenvale won the match 3-2 and were duly promoted to the ABC Motsepe League.

Meanwhile, Benfica are similarly promotion beneficiaries from the alternative Regional League Stream A. They too successfully eliminated challengers to emerge favourites to the ABC Motsepe league at the weekend.

Unconfirmed reports emerging out of the Safa corridors are that both Northern Cape teams might in all likelihood play together in one unified league for the province.

This would mean that the more than 10 year old dual stream system which split the 18 team member league in half will likely be discontinued in the new season.

In the meantime the ABC Motsepe League’s stream B (south/inland) will likely shed the likes of last season’s bottom drawers Kuruman Kicks and Rasta Fa Eagles. Both teams ended the season on 16 points with only four wins from 16 matches credited to their names.

However Safa still has to confirm their status.

Meanwhile, in Johannesburg on Wednesday June 1, the Safa national disciplinary committee will deliberate over the match referee’s report emanating from the abandoned provincial play-offs final between Kimberley Real Madrid and Upington City.

The match had ended in chaos soon after Real Madrid had snatched the lead 3-2 very late in the game that was played at the Postmasburg Show grounds a fortnight ago.

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