By Ntokozo Magongo
MBABANE – Professionalism will be applied during the Tinkhundla Under-20 Football tournament set to kick-off on Saturday under the Manzini Region.
Teams and players will have to follow the stipulated rules and regulations of the tournament and also practise the normal standards on match day, following the professionalised time line released on Wednesday.
The professional practises are expected during the tournament include checking of playing venue by match officials before each match start, teams arrival time, start of warm up by the clubs, hand shake and taking of pictures all in time line.
The Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Competitions Committee Chairman and Hhohho Regional Football Association (EFA) Chairman Dr Comfort Shongwe who is part of the Tinkhundla Tournament Organising Committee released the time line that the teams will have to follow on each match day.
The games will kick-off at 2pm almost in all the venues, while security checks at the playing venues are at 9am. All teams are expected to arrive at venues at noon with warm up starting an hour late.
The E2 million sponsored tournament by the government under the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs 2024 Tinkhundla Talent Search Competition will kick-off under the Manzini Region with two games to be played on Saturday.
Mhlambanyatsi Inkhundla will kick-off the tournament against Nkomiyahlaba Inkhundla and Mahlangatsha Inkhundla will face Mafutseni Inkhundla at venues yet to be confirmed.
TINKHUNDLA U20 FOOTBALL MATCH DAY TIME-LINE:
1. SECURITY CHECKS COMPLETED – 09:00
2. PREPARATION OF PLAYING VENUE – 10:00
3. ARRIVAL OF MATCH OFFICIALS – 11:30
4. ARRIVAL OF CLUBS – 12:00
5. CHECK PLAYERS ELIGIBILITY – 12:30
6. START TO WARM UP OF CLUBS – 13:00
7. END OF WARM UP – 13:20
8. MATCH ACTIVATION – 13:30
9. TEAMS LED INTO THE FIELD OF PLAY – 13:50
10. HAND SHAKE – 13:52
11. TAKE PICTURES – 13:55
12. KICK-OFF – 14:00
