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KNYSNA NEWS AND GALLERY - Smuts United were crowned the kings of the KLFA Easter Soccer Tournament this week when they triumphed over La Liga in the final on Monday 18 April.
The Easter tournament is a mainstay on the local football calendar, with clubs from within the Knysna Local Football Association (KLFA) battling it out for supremacy over the Easter weekend.
After a break in 2020, last year the tournament was warmly welcomed back, with Safa Eden Men's Regional League side FC United winning the crown.
PHOTO GALLERY: Football Easter tournament back in action
Traditionally the tournament is held over the course of the four days of Easter weekend, but this year a good number of preliminary group games were played on Sunday 10 April, and Thursday 14 April.
The main attraction was scheduled to kick off on Friday 15 April, but the majority of the day's games were postponed to Saturday due to extreme weather.
The rest of the group games were played on Saturday to determine who would progress to the quarter-final stage. La Liga, FC Rebels A, Smuts United, and Young Stars progressed as the group winners, followed by FC United, Voota, Red Eagles, and Crossroads making it through as the group runners-up.
Smuts United qualified for the semis by beating Crossroads 5-0.
FC United saw off Rebels A 2-1, La Liga beat Voota 6-1, while Read Eagles needed a penalty shootout to overcome Young Stars. The semi-finals were exhilarating, with both matches going to penalty shootouts.
In Sedgefield, La Liga and FC United were tied at 1-1 after regular time. The win ultimately went to the KLFA Domestic League outfit as they knocked out the defending champions in an 8-7 penalty win.
In the other semi-final, played at Loerie Park, Red Eagles and Smuts United had the same scoreline at the final whistle. Fewer penalties were needed, however, as Domestic League leaders Smuts United knocked out the only other Regional League team 4-3.
Young Brothers goalkeeper Ruwayne Oktober kicks the ball ahead.
This set up a final seeing La Liga versus Smuts United - a battle between two Domestic League teams looking for their first Easter titles.
The game kicked off at 14:00 on Monday, and La Liga largely dominated the game. They enjoyed the bulk of possession as well as the majority of the good chances in front of goal, but never managed to convert.
While an indication of a lack of clinical play from La Liga, this was largely due to a phenomenal performance by Smuts United goalkeeper Ashwell van Rooyen, who was in top form when his side needed him most.
The game ended 0-0 at a regular time and the final went to extra time. Smuts United proved they don't need all of the possession or chances to make it count, scoring the first goal of the game with a minute left in the first half of extra time.
La Liga hit back in the second half through an own goal, and the game was once more evenly poised. La Liga missed more chances before Smuts United clinched the title with a winner two minutes before the final whistle, securing a hard-fought 2-1 win.
This handed them their first-ever Easter trophy - a coveted addition to any local club's trophy cabinet.
Smuts United goalkeeper and joint-best goalkeeper of the tournament Ashwell van Rooyen.
La Liga's Mzimasi Sopasa (black and yellow) tries to reach the ball ahead of Smuts United's André Plaatjies. Photos: Blake Linder
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