Off-target Bluebirds strikers cost their team an anticipated win at home to University of Johannesburg Ladies when the teams ended up deadlocked 1–1 at the Alexandra Stadium.
A disappointed Birds coach Malvin Khumalo, hit by a string of injuries to a number of key players in his squad including Daveney Rhoda, speedy left winger Tshwarelo Digaota and longstanding goal minder Asa Rabalao, said a draw was the last thing on their mind.
“This was not the kind of result we had wanted at home,” he said.
“We fought hard to win, created chances but we just could not find the back of the net to enable us to collect maximum points.
“I guess the only sensible thing to do is to grab the one point and live to fight another day. We need to fight harder to finish in the top eight.”
Khumalo is well aware of what lies ahead for him. Birds have difficult games coming up against multi-championship winning sides Palace Super Falcons of Thembisa, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies and JVW Ladies.
“I am just keeping my fingers crossed that I may have my full squad by then. It was good to see the return of Morongwa [Manamela] from a long layoff due to injury. To prove how good her return was, she even scored the goal that gave us the point.”
Khumalo added that Morongwa and the other players still on the injury list were an essential component of the whole squad and ‘we desperately need their presence in the team’.
But the never-say-die Birds mentor was confident of seeing themselves through the difficult period. “We only need to work as a collective and also learn to be clinical in front of goals, and with that we can be assured of surviving the storms.”
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