On match day 17 at Wits Marks Parks in the Gauteng Development League (GDL), the home teams had a day of mixed fortunes.
Four divisions of both Wits Juniors and East Rand Central consisting of U13, U15, U17, and U19, took to the field and the results varied across the age groups.
Read more: An excellent glut of goals at Marks Parks
The U13 team managed to secure a hard-fought draw, finishing the match with a 1–1 score line. The U15’s emerged victorious with a narrow 2–1 win, and the U17’s showed their dominance, triumphing with an impressive 3–0 victory.
In the U17 match, Wits started strong, scoring an early goal from the boot of midfielder Ombile Khumalo to take a 1–0 lead in the first half. With solid defensive play, they managed to maintain their advantage in the second half, adding two more goals – courtesy of midfielder Leayone Mabaso and striker Philane Mfeka.
Wits U19’s started brightly, scoring an early goal in the first half, which bolstered their confidence in the attacking third. However, despite having opportunities to extend their lead and secure three points, they squandered their chances.
Also read: The struggle continues for Wits Juniors.
In the second half, East Rand was awarded a penalty, which they successfully converted, levelling the score at 1–1. Despite their efforts, Wits could not find the goal to put them on top again, and the U19 team faced defeat, losing their match with a score of 2–1.
Commenting on his team’s performance, the Wits U19 coach Aaron Tswala expressed disappointment, stating that his team lacked character and drive throughout the match. He highlighted a recurring issue where his team tended to relax after scoring a goal, which affected their overall performance. Looking ahead, he emphasised the need for his team to convert more chances in the six-yard area and to improve their game management to secure wins in future matches.
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