Blue Aces’ U13 side put on Its ace game that enabled the outfit to cruise past a stubborn Linda Stars straight into the draw hat of the Map Games.
Aces beat a determined Stars 3-1 in the qualifying round of matches of the Map Games 2023 played at the Altrek Sports Facility on June 4.
Aces was a bit disjointed in the game as they could hardly string passes from one player to the other but were clinical in the face of goals when an opportunity came begging.
The side’s opening goal came through a penalty it was awarded when one of its forwards was fouled inside the box within 15 minutes of play and the referee Dumisani ‘Bhakaniya’ Ngcoza never hesitated in pointing to the penalty spot, and the teammate that put up his hand to take it did a marvellous job of rattling the net after sending the keeper the wrong way.
In the dying minutes of the first half, another Aces forward added a second goal that was brilliantly struck, leaving the keeper bamboozled as to what flew close past his arms into the back of the net.
Stars, who were a better side in string the passes with a neat build-up as the side advanced towards the goals, especially from the right flank, and got its consolation goal with only under 10 minutes of play left but it was already too late.
Stars threw everything into the offensive mode as it fought hard in search of an equaliser that would have taken the game straight to penalties at the stroke of 60 minutes which comprises a full time of play for the juniors.
This left the side vulnerable at the back as the keeper too joined in the fray. A clever Aces forward received the ball in close proximity to the centre line and looped it over the keeper and straight into the open goals for their third of the match.
Bhakaniya saved Stars from further misery as he blew his whistle for full time soon after the third goal hit the back of the net, thereby giving Aces its ticket to march into the draw hat on June 6.
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