Despite 3–1 win, Gunners’ coach demands more from his boys
Gunners FC claimed victory over Western Boys FC in the U15 ANLFA League match, but coach Lesiba Ditshego says his side fell short of their usual standards.
Although Gunners FC fought hard to secure three points in a 3–1 win over Western Boys FC, coach Lesiba Ditshego still felt his side could have done more, given that they usually perform better than they did on Sunday.
The two teams went head-to-head in the U15 Alexandra Northrand Local Football Association (ANLFA) League at the Altrec Sports Centre, in a match that fell short of both sides’ expectations.
Ditshego admitted his boys were not at their usual level. “We did not have the reserves, and the boys were tired, but they held on. They can perform better than they did today.” Still, he praised their grit in hustling for the three points.
Read more: Tigers seeks cubs for soccer grooming
In the first half, Gunners scored twice, first through a penalty that Kgothatso Meso calmly converted, followed by Mokgohloa Maleka’s strike that gave them an early 2–0 lead.
Reflecting on the strategy, Ditshego said he knew that they would get a goal if he committed more players forward. “I started with pressing. We forced them into mistakes. We had four to five players every time we attacked, capitalising on those errors.”
Gunners took to the pitch with a clear objective: To punish Western at every opportunity. Ditshego said his side knew that allowing the opposition’s defence to settle would spell trouble. “So, what we do is put pressure on their defence, so they don’t play but just kick the ball forward. When they do that, we start playing.”
He believes even the penalty Western conceded was a direct result of the pressure Gunners applied in the final third.
Western Boys’ coach Michael Seboni, however, disagreed, insisting the penalty was unfairly awarded. He argued the referee mistook a belly deflection for a handball.
Also read: Roosevelt Young Stars soccer team diversifies into farming
Despite trailing by two, Western clawed one back in the second half when Xabanisa Achumile scored to reduce the deficit.
Seboni credited the goal to his halftime talk. “Trailing doesn’t mean we’ve lost. The game is still on.
“We tried. Hence you saw we scored a goal. I was expecting another, but you know the boys, we are still grooming them. We can’t expect 100%.”
Gunners’ Zandi Mojapelo, however, sealed the result with a third goal, ending the tough clash. “As a team, we always prepare for good results,” Seboni reflected, “but at the end of the day, one can’t predict the game.”
Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates!
