Orlando Pirates and Soweto All Stars in Action during the 2016 Engen Knockout Challenge at the Marks Park Sport Ground in Johannesburg, South Africa on July 31, 2016 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

JOHANNESBURG – ORLANDO Pirates are the new Engen Knockout Challenge (Johannesburg) champions.

The Young Buccaneers defeated city rivals Bidvest Wits 6 -5 in a penalty shootout after the final ended in one-all draw at Marks Park.

Bidvest Wits took the game to Pirates in the opening minutes of the first half. The early pressure paid-off when Ethan Andrews beat the Pirates keeper, Thuntsane Kopano in a race for the ball. Andrews calmly hit the back of an empty net to give Wits the lead.

Kopano equalized for Pirates.

After the halftime break both teams pressed for a winner but their respective defensive players held firm until the final whistle.

Kopano was selected as the Engen Knockout Challenge, Johannesburg Player of the Tournament as well as Goalkeeper of the Tournament.

Tournament’s convenor of selectors, Duncan Crowie, says Kopano played a key role in his teams advance to the final of the 2016 Engen Knockout Challenge.

“He then went on to score what is easily the goal of the Tournament to keep his team in contention until the final whistle,” says Crowie.

Engen’s Group Sponsorship Manager, Brad Bergh, congratulates Pirates for winning the tournament.

“The 2016 Engen Knockout Challenge provided a number of goals, upsets, highlights, thrills and top quality football. I must commend Orlando Pirates and Bidvest Wits for providing an entertaining final game,” says Bergh.

Orlando Pirates will now join Old Mutual (Cape Town), Umqhele High School (Durban), Roo Stars (Bloemfontein) and Chippa United (Port Elizabeth) in the Engen Champ of Champs later this year.

Engen is proud to be a part of the development of these young future football stars, further contributing to the realisation of their dream of being signed professionally,” says Bergh.

– Guardian