Tsakani – U13 soccer teams went head-to-head in the Youth Empowerment Tournament at Malandela ground in Tsakani on January 13.
The game started well for Amy Foundation Football Academy as they scored one goal in the first half. Their coach, Kgotso Maluke, said the first half favoured his team, saying the players created scoring opportunities from all corners of the ground.
“They reached the poles to utilise goal-scoring opportunities and consistently attacked the other team, which is how we scored our first goal. We dominated the game and tricked our opponents into giving us the ball,” explained Maluke.
A few minutes into the second half, Maluke’s team scored another goal, resulting in a 2-0 win.
“We kept the ball on our side longer within the second half and implemented minimal changes. The players shared the ball on the ground. We created more chances for ourselves, which is how we could score the second goal,” said Maluke.
He said they noted a few mistakes from his team, highlighting his defence players lost position from time to time. He also noticed his anchor players rushed to tackle the ball and neglected their assigned positions.
Amy Foundation Football Academy won 2-0 against Next Generation.
“I aim to rectify these mistakes during practice to avoid this from happening. Apart from the mistakes, I am beyond happy with my team’s performance. They keep advancing every time we play,” he added.
Next Generation coach Siyabonga Lengosane, described the game as interesting, adding the game’s focus was developing his team. He said his team drastically improved their performance and was pleased with their effort.
“I noticed my players struggle to run long distances and keep up with their opponents. They easily get tired and start walking instead of running on the field.
“I urge parents to support their children during our tournament games. This is another way of motivating the children. We are raising future stars that deserve support and good mentorship,”
Other results:
U9: Junior Ballers 1-0 Amen Foundation
U9: Letsetele United 0-2 Amen Foundation
U13: Letsetele United 1-1 Junior Legend.
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