Complacency creeps in as Birds’ wings are clipped in promising season
ALEXANDRA – Birds coach Malvin Trynos Khumalo believes complacency is starting to creep in into his girls as they lost 2–1 to Tuks Ladies.
Sipho Siso
Birds' Tshwarelo Digaota (blue) competes for the ball with a Tuks Ladies player during their Sasol Women's League game at the Alexandra Stadium.
Bluebirds have only themselves to blame after their wings were clipped 2–1 by a Tuks Ladies determined to collect maximum points at their
expense.
The Birds left it too late to make a meaningful impact in this game, their fourth of the Sasol Women’s League played at the Alexandra Stadium. Before this game, they were commanding third position on the league table with seven points from three games since the start of the league at the beginning of April. This is the first loss for the Birds in what started off as a promising season for the Alex outfit.
Tshwarelo Digaota (blue) of the Birds tries to recover after she loses control of the ball.
They opened the season on 1 April away to Seville Ladies in Sebokeng, winning 6–1. This was followed by a 1–1 draw against women’s
football powerhouse, Mamelodi Sundowns and then went on to beat newly promoted Nicko Taurus Ladies of Roodepoort 3–1.
Their next game is an away tie against the University of the North West Vaal Ladies on 29 April, a clash that coach Malvin
Khumalo said they could win.
“I think complacency is starting to creep in as my girls never showed grit from the word go but left it too late to make a meaningful impact in the Tuks game, and by then damage had already been done,” Khumalo said. He was quick to point out that it was still too early to press the panic button. “The season is still in its at infancy and I am sure the girls got a wakeup call today to never take things for granted after a couple of good showings.”
Tshwarelo Digaota (blue) of the Birds misses the ball in a final kick for the posts.
Even after Tuks got an early lead in the 20th minute, the Birds never showed any sense of urgency as they were too casual on the ball. The two teams went into the halftime break with Tuks leading 1-0 but the Birds only picked up steam when the University of Pretoria outfit scored their second goal within 10 minutes of the restart.
Nonhlanhla ‘Gaddafi’ Mthandi of Birds had a good opportunity to pull one back but her shot on goal was a weak one. Earlier, captain Nyatama Mnguni had also wasted an opportunity.
It was only when Khumalo started yelling instructions from the touchline that his girls finally showed a sense of urgency resulting in a stunning goal by defender Ntswaki Phala after she dribbled past an advancing keeper to get Birds within one.
Tshwarelo Digaota (blue) of the Birds misses the ball in a final kick for the posts.
The Birds then launched wave after wave of attack in search of an equaliser but to no avail.
Phala could have easily netted four during the game but she ballooned three clear-cut chances over the bar.
