Midstream College’s first team girls made a competitive season debut, walking away with a point after a hard-fought draw against Rand Park High School at the Randburg Sports Complex in what proved to be an entertaining and closely contested fixture.

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Midstream College coach Siyabonga Mabena was in good spirits after the final whistle, expressing satisfaction with how his side performed on their first outing. “From here on it can only build up, so more positives than negatives. Definitely happy with the start.”

Despite dominating possession for large stretches and creating several promising chances inside the box, Midstream were unable to convert. Mabena pinpointed the issue clearly: His strikers were too passive in front of the goal. “It’s all about working with the strikers and making sure that they’re goal hungry.” He added that the forwards were too static, allowing defenders to win the ball before danger could materialise. Getting that final touch right will be the priority in training ahead of their next fixture.

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On the other side, Rand Park co-coaches Tiffany Kawi and Glenn McNamara were equally pleased, despite their side arriving fatigued after playing two games in a tournament the previous evening.
“They stood up to a very good test today,” said McNamara. “I’m pretty happy.”

@caxtonjoburgnorth WATCH: Midstream College pushes forward in search of a winner during their first team girls’ debut fixture at the Randburg Sports Complex. Video: Nkazimulo Ncube #Randburg #Sports ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North

Kawi echoed that sentiment, acknowledging that the team is still finding its feet early in the season. “We’re really just recovering, but other than that I’m happy with the girls. They started to create really good pockets of play.”

Rand Park’s backline was arguably the story of the match, holding firm under sustained pressure throughout. Kawi credited the defensive solidity to a combination of experience, strong organisation, and sheer determination, with the goalkeeper also drawing praise for her composure between the posts.

Both coaches left the Randburg Sports Complex with plenty of encouragement to take into the week ahead, and with the season still in its infancy, both sides will be eager to push on from a promising start.

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