Loyo Stars outlast resilient Phuthadichaba in tight U13 battle
Phuthadichaba’s youngsters pushed hard, but Loyo Stars eventually claimed victory in a fiercely contested U13 clash.
Loyo Stars continued their encouraging upward curve in the Alexandra Northrand Local Football Association (ANLFA) U13 division, grinding out a narrow 1-0 victory over a resilient Phuthadichaba FC at Altrec Sports Complex on Sunday.
The result extended Loyo Stars’ positive momentum after they had been held to a draw by Mighty Heroes FC the previous day.
While the three points were secured, both coaches described the contest as a tense, physically demanding affair that highlighted the growing tactical awareness in the age group.
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Loyo Stars coach Tshepiso Serekeho admitted he had anticipated a more free-scoring encounter from his side.
“I had expected them to win, because yesterday they dropped points. So today I had expected their game to be high. I had expected three to five goals, and above,” Serekeho said.
He attributed the lower-scoring outcome partly to the demanding schedule as his players were coming off a match just 24 hours earlier, and he acknowledged that maintaining intensity and concentration across the full duration remains a work in progress.
Still, he said the boys are slowly but surely beginning to show their bite and understanding of the game. “We just need to keep training them so they can maintain it.”
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Phuthadichaba FC, despite the defeat, produced a performance that left their coach, Katlego Letsoalo, largely satisfied with the progress on show. Letsoalo had spent the week drilling passing patterns, first touch, and movement off the ball, elements he felt translated well onto the pitch.
“Our performance was good, despite the outcome. We created two clear chances and missed them in the first half. In the second half we conceded a goal from a mistake, but overall I was pleased with how the boys executed what we worked on,” Letsoalo said.
Letsoalo was particularly pleased by the development of two 8-year-old players in his squad who are holding their own against 13-year-olds, viewing it as validation of the club’s player development pathway.
Both coaches noted that the narrow margin and competitive nature of the fixture showed the increasing competitiveness emerging in their ANLFA U13 division.
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