Oyster soccer in full swing

Gallery

KNYSNA NEWS - As the Knysna Oyster Festival continues to entertain visitors, the 2022 Knysna Oyster Soccer Tournament is making good progress, with the competition already at the quarter-final stage.

The tournament, which is the jewel in the crown of the Knysna Local Football Association's annual competition calendar, returned this year after a two-year Covid break.

The 2019 champions, CX Swallows, didn't enter this year. The 26 teams that entered into this year's tournament were divided into eight groups - six groups of three teams each and two groups of four teams each.

PHOTO GALLERY: 2022 Knysna Oyster Soccer Tournament

For the group stage, teams had to play two or three games (depending on their group size), and the top two teams from each group progressed to the round of 16 stage. The teams who made it through to the round of 16 were: Smuts United and FC Rebels 1 (Group A); FC United and Crossroads (Group B); Hot Stars and Pine Stars (Group C); Two for Joy and Young Brothers (Group D); CX Celtics and FC Rebels 2 (Group E); La Liga and Red Eagles 1 (Group F); Oupad United and Young Stars (Group G); and finally, Young Boys and African Eagles (Group H).

La Liga striker (left, green) crosses the ball past Sinako defender.

The round of 16 matches were played on Sunday 3 July at the Rheenendal Sports Grounds, the first time that Rheenendal hosted Oyster Soccer Tournament matches. The results were: Smuts United 3-1 Crossroads; FC Rebels 1 caused an upset by beating Safa Eden Regional Men's League side FC United 1-0; Two for Joy 3-2 Hot Stars; Pine Stars 4-0 Young Brothers; Red Eagles 1-0 FC Rebels 2; CX Celtics 2-0 La Liga; Young Stars 4-2 African Eagles; and Young Boys 1-0 Oupad United.

The winners of each game would progress to the quarter-finals to be played on Wednesday evening, 6 July (these results were not available yet at the time of going to print). The semi-finals are scheduled to be held on Saturday 8 July and the final will be played at Loerie Park on Sunday.

JR Stars player turns with the ball to get away from an opposing player. Photos: Blake Linder