Following two days of intense football at Wits Mark Park in Johannesburg, the winners of the Gauteng Engen Knockout Challenge will be decided on Sunday.
The defending boys’ champion, Panorama, however, won’t be in with a title shot after failing to advance past the group stage.
Kathorus Hyper Academy faced the University of Pretoria (Tuks) in the quarterfinals. The East Rand club, well-acquainted with Tuks as both teams compete in the Gauteng Development League (GDL), matched the Pretoria side evenly throughout the match, which ended in a goalless draw.
That sent the contest to a penalty shootout, and Kathorus secured a place in the semifinals with a 4-2 win from the spot.
Catch the final day of the Gauteng Engen Knockout Challenge action LIVE on SuperSport Schools
They’ll take on Mamelodi Sundowns for a place in the final. Bafana Ba Style earned their place in the final four with a 1-0 win over their Pretoria neighbours, Siwelele.
Kaizer Chiefs, who lost to Panorama in the 2025 final, squeezed past Highlands Park with an identical score to the Kathorus vs Tuks game: 0-0 in regulation time and 4-2 in a penalty shootout.
While Highlands Park has been one of the GDL’s leading lights in recent seasons, winning the title in 2023 and 2024 and finishing as the runner-up in 2025, they’ve had less success in cup competitions. They faced an in-form foe in Kaizer Chiefs, who are leading the GDL at the mid-year break.
The Lions of the North are in mid-table, but they gave the Phefeni Glamour Boys a tough outing. With the win, Chiefs will take on Randburg in the semifinals.
Randburg also played to a goalless draw in the quarterfinals and then survived a nerve-wracking penalty shootout, sneaking past Orlando Pirates 6-4.
In the girls’ semifinals, scheduled for Sunday, the newly formed Kaizer Chiefs Ladies, who suffered a 0-2 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns in their first official Sasol Gauteng League match earlier this year, will face the same opponent again. They’ll be eager to turn the tables.
Kaizer Chiefs Ladies scored a 2-0 victory over Panorama in the quarterfinals, while Sundowns defeated Tuks 2-0 in a Pretoria derby.
The University of Johannesburg (UJ), the defending champions of the Gauteng Engen Knockout Challenge and the winners of the national tournament, the Engen Champs of Champs, are again on the brink of success after reaching the semifinals with a narrow 1-0 victory over JVW.
They’ll tackle Mamelodi XI Stars for a place in the title game. Although not widely known across the country, Mamelodi XI Stars has emerged as one of the standout teams in the tournament, showcasing impressive skills and scoring abilities. They won their quarterfinals 2-1, beating Future Stars Ladies.
RESULTS
Day One: Friday, 17 July
Boys’ Competition
Group A
Kathorus 4-0 Wits University
Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 DBK Football Stars
Kathorus 3-1 DBK Football Stars
Kaizer Chiefs 5-0 Wits University
Group B
Randburg 3-1 Sanders United
Panorama 1-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
Mamelodi Sundowns 3-1 Sanders United
Randburg 1-1 Panorama
Group C
Tuks 1-0 Prestige
Highlands Park 0-0 TS Galaxy
Highlands Park 1-0 Tuks
Prestige 1-0 TS Galaxy
Group D
Orlando Pirates 0-0 Siwelele
Joburg City 2-0 RESA
Orlando Pirates 1-0 Joburg City
Girls’ Competition
Group A
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies 0-0 UJ
SAFA Academy 6-0 Rosina
Mamelodi Sundowns 2-0 SAFA Academy
UJ 4-0 Rosina
Group B
Kaizer Chiefs Ladies 4-0 Springs Home Sweepers
Mamelodi XI Stars 2-0 TUT
Mamelodi XI Stars 1-0 Springs Home Sweepers
Group C
Wits University Ladies 1-1 Mito Stars Ladies
Tuks Ladies 1-1 JVW
Wits University 0-0 TUT
JVW 1-0 Mito Stars Ladies
Group D
Future Stars Ladies 1-0 Panorama Ladies
Blue Birds 1-0 TS Galaxy Queens
Blue Birds 1-0 Future Stars Ladies
Panorama 2-0 TS Galaxy
Day Two: Saturday, 18 July
Boys’ Competition
Group B
Panorama 2-1 Sanders United
Group C
Tuks 1-0 TS Galaxy
Highlands Park 2-1 Prestige
Group D
Siwelele 1-0 RESA
Girls’ Competition
Group A
SAFA Academy 1-1 UJ
Mamelodi Sundowns 3-0 Rosina
Group B
Kaizer Chiefs 3-0 Mamelodi XI Stars
TUT 2-0 Springs Home Sweepers
Kaizer Chief vs vs TUT
Group C
JVW 2-0 Wits University
Tuks 5-0 Mito Stars Ladies
Group D
Future Stars Ladies 3-1 TS Galaxy Queens
Panorama 1-0 Blue Birds Ladies
Orlando Pirates 2-0 RESA
Siwelele 0-0 Joburg City
Boys’ Quarterfinal Results
Kathorus (4) 0-0 (2) Tuks
Kaizer Chiefs (4) 0-0 (2) Highlands Park
Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0 Siwelele
Randburg (6) 0-0 (4)
Girls’ Quarterfinal Results
Mamelodi Sundowns 2-0 Tuks
UJ 1-0 JVW
Kaizer Chiefs Ladies 2-0 Panorama
Mamelodi XI Stars 2-1 Future Stars Ladies
Day Three: Sunday, 19 July
08:00
5-8 Playoffs
Tuks vs Siwelele
Highlands Park vs Orlando Pirates
Boys’ Semifinals
09:30
Kathorus vs Mamelodi Sundowns
Kaizer Chiefs vs Randburg
Girls’ Semifinals
09:30
Mamelodi Sundowns vs Kaizer Chiefs
UJ vs Mamelodi XI Stars
5-8 Playoff Final Round
10:45
Panorama vs JVW
Future Stars Ladies vs Tuks
