University of Johannesburg (UJ) soccer teams are focusing their full attention on having a fruitful time as they compete in the University Sport South Africa (USSA) tournament from December 2 to 6 at Wits University.
While the women’s team will be looking to retain their USSA title, the men will be aiming to ensure they finish in the top eight to qualify for 2020’s Varsity Football tournament.
Women’s coach Jabulile Baloyi said they were preparing hard for the tournament while also accommodating the students’ exam schedule. She said, “We are looking forward to tackling the competition at USSA and are hoping that the experience gained in the National Women’s League will help to boost our confidence.” She added that players such as Amanda Mthandi and the experience they bring will be a huge boost for the team.
The men’s team is fully aware of the challenges that await them as they plan to reach their goal. UJ football manager Joel Kgokong said, “We have a squad in which many players will be making their first USSA appearances, so we understand that it will be a tough week.” Kgokong added that they would be relying on the experience and skill of players such as Dane Fortuin, Tebogo Mandyu and Alan Mabuza to help the team reach their objectives.
The men’s and women’s competitions will comprise 16 teams divided into four pools. They will each play three pool matches, with the top two teams from each pool qualifying for the quarterfinal play-offs.
Baloyi made their goals clear when she said, “We are definitely focused on trying to make the final again to give us a chance of defending the title.”
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