Gunners and Winter Rose football boys battle it out to a draw
Alex Winter Rose head coach looks to regroup and push for victory in their next fixture, while Gunners take pride in their young squad’s resilience.
Alex Gunners and Alexandra Winter Rose battled it out to a tough 1–1 draw in the Alexandra Northrand Local Football Association U15 fixture at Altrec Sports Complex on Saturday.
The first half of the game was marked by impatient back-and-forth play, as both Gunners and Winter Rose tried their luck to open the scoring, but, as is common in development football, the two teams frequently shared possession, with neither able to create clear chances. However, a few seconds before halftime, Gunners FC player Siyabonga Msibi impressed the spectators with an unexpected free-kick goal, giving his side a 1–0 lead.
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Early in the second half, Gunners attempted another free kick, but this time the ball fell into the goalkeeper’s hands.
Winter Rose also made daring, yet unsuccessful, attempts to equalise. In one instance, their player, Thokozani Mavuso, made a daring free-kick attempt, but the ball went high over the goalpost. He, however, did not lose heart. His efforts eventually paid off when Winter Rose got a corner. As soon as Mavuso got the ball again, he fired a long-range shot past Gunners goalkeeper Ompha Lukhwareni, giving his team the long-awaited equaliser.
Despite further attempts from both sides to convert chances, Mavuso’s goal was the final one of the match, leaving the teams to share the spoils in a disappointing 1–1 draw.
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“I didn’t expect a draw. I expected them to use their chances and score to get three points. Now, we only got one point,” said Winter Rose coach Katlego Khalo.
He added that he will encourage his players to believe in their ability to secure maximum points, especially ahead of their next fixture.
Meanwhile, Gunners coach Sizwe Vena expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance, noting that he had fielded younger players from the U13 squad. “I am satisfied because I was playing with U13 boys. They are still young, so I am happy with this 1–1 draw.”
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