GALLERY: Friendly football face-off

Randburg Football Club ‘s(RAFC)  junior girls soccer team faced off against Emmarentia junior girls in a friendly game on 9 April.

Friendly games are a pivotal part in the development of a soccer team, as coaches use this time to see how the players work as a team and can perform in real matches.

This was the second match of the season for some of the girls as they played a friendly against Blue Birds from Alexandra on 4 March.

The game saw some of the regulars play phenomenally well. Players such as Kayla Nunes, Olivia Hardie, Nic Forfar, Summer Buttress, Jessica de Ponte, Rylee Arde and Kimberly Verreyne did their part in making sure that the new players settled in well.

RAFC went up 1–0 in the first half after Hardie took a corner kick that landed at Anjulie Jones’ feet. Tasmia Fransman received the ball from Jones, and managed to kick it over the line and score her first goal.

At half-time, Emmarentia requested to change their goalkeeper and they replaced the keeper with a very athletic young boy, who saved a thunderous shot taken by Anjulie Jones, after RAFC was awarded a free-kick about 40 metres from the Emmarentia goal post.

It was half way through the second half when the ball was played into Emmarentia’s penalty area from another corner delivered by Hardie. Forfar attempted a reverse kick in the direction of the Emmarentia nets. The ball was saved by the young energetic goalkeeper, but rebounded into the path of De Ponte, who shot at goal, but unfortunately hit a player instead. The ball rebounded into the path of the oncoming Bhabha, who, on her second attempt blasted the ball home for RAFC’s second goal of the match.

The final score was 2–0.

Impact players on the day were new players such as Anjulie Jones, Megan Wissner and Diana Mutale who played very well to contain the Emmarentia midfield attack, and other players who also contributed to the much improved play of the team were Hanna Lambie, Ashley Archer and new goalkeeper Kiwa Keet.

“We anticipate arranging at least two more friendly matches for our junior as well as senior girls and women’s teams before the league starts. Come along to watch and support female football at RAFC,” added coach and convenor, Theo Buttress.

“We are looking forward to the start of the 2016 league, which we anticipate will begin at the end of April or beginning May.”

Details: RAFC Junior and Ladies, Theo Buttress, theo.buttress@gmail.com or 072 300 1927.