Randburg FC competes at the Gauteng Engen Knockout Qualifiers
RAFC coach said they must win the small personal/mental battles and not be distracted by the idea that there could be other coaches and scouts watching the games
Randburg Football Club U18 skipper Siyethaba Dlangisa’s long-range shot against Capital City advances the squad to the Engen Knockout Challenge.
RAFC topped their group with 10 points after four games, winning three and one draw against Augusto Palacios Academy.
Coach Yu- ha Said said that he is very happy for the boys and their performance. They did not concede a goal in three games.
“We had the youngest average team this year of 16 years. They performed beyond my expectations as this is a big tournament. We had a 15-year-old that played all the games. Also our senior players showed great leadership skills to guide the young boys. The young boys were under a lot of pressure playing three games in just two days.”
He added that the biggest challenge they faced was phycological and the pressure on the young players, but they are looking forward to the round of 16.
After reaching the quarter-finals last year, RAFC was seeded straight into group H. They did not participate in the first round of fixtures. Their group opponents were determined after the first round of fixtures.
“It is not easy as it is an U18 tournament and the boys have to find a balance between studying and preparing for the tournament because they are writing June exams. They are committed and looking forward to the wonderful learning experience that awaits us.
“We wanted to qualify for the main tournament. Our boys have the task of remaining focused on being a team.”
Results:
- Randburg 3–0 Jacaranda Callies
- Agusto Palacios Academy 0–0 Randburg
- Randburg 1–0 Capital City
- 2–0 Walkover
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