Alex Winter Rose clinched a nervy 1-0 win over Happy Fighters at the Alex Safe Hub on Saturday, October 24, in a tough Alexandra Northrand Local Football Association U17 league clash.

Winter Rose coach Fuzile Mhlambiso said he had told his players before kick-off to convert every chance that came their way. They did not do that often enough, and he admitted it nearly cost them.

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“They played this game, but their mistake was that they did not convert their chances. I was expecting at least three to four goals,” he said.

Neo Mosebo opened the scoring, but the lead was never comfortable.

Defensively, Winter Rose were under pressure as Happy Fighters’ forwards pushed hungrily for an equaliser. Still, the backline held firm.

Mhlambiso said his side’s biggest problem was not at the back but in midfield, where his players were overworking the defenders. He said they were not pressing, and this allowed Happy Fighters’ midfielders to transition well and pile pressure on in the final third.

Happy Fighters rue missed chances

Happy Fighters U17 coach Amogelang Molapisi said his team knew from the outset that it would be a difficult afternoon.

“What we did is we tried putting a strong starting 11, and what we told them, as the technical [staff], is that they should not allow Winter Rose to score first, because when they do, they will start playing a low ball,” he said.

The warning went unheeded, and Happy Fighters found themselves chasing the game. “It was difficult for us in the first half to get a goal,” Molapisi admitted.

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At half-time, he reminded his side to press hard and move the ball quickly. “We did address it in the dressing room that every time they get the ball, they need to be quick. That is our style of play; we play quick football, and immediately when we get inside the box, we do a lot of cutbacks and try to see who is in the box,” he said.

Even so, the breakthrough never came. Happy Fighters created several chances in the second half, but every attempt was snuffed out by the Winter Rose defence.

“The defence is very solid,” Molapisi conceded. “They came with a really good game plan, credit to them. The goalkeeper was wonderful.”

As his side head back to training, Molapisi said finishing will be the focus.

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