UJ prepare for must-win battle against UWC
AUCKLAND PARK – The University of Johannesburg football team will be itching to get one over the University of the Western Cape in their seventh round Varsity Football tie at the UJ Stadium.
The University of Johannesburg (UJ) will be geared towards breaking their two-year dry spell when they tackle the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in round seven of Varsity Football 2017 on 7 September.
The Joburg outfit has not fared well against UWC, having come second best to the team on each occasion since 2015. However, UJ will look to pull off nothing short of a victory if they are to stand any chance of landing a semi-final berth in this year’s tournament. This is a fact that UJ captain Dane Fortuin is wary of after the team suffered a heavy 3–0 defeat to the North West University on 31 August.
Fortuin said the game would be vital in the context of the rest of the tournament. “It’s a must-win for us,” he said. “We’re both on nine points, so, whichever team wins it, will go through. I think it’s going to be war and we’re prepared for the fight. Basically, if we want to go through, it’s up to us to win it so it’s very exciting.”
Fortuin, a Westdene native and third-year law student said playing on home soil provided the team with added leverage.
“I think that’s going to be the deciding factor. The home ground and home crowd are going to play a very big role.
“Our season has been two very different stories. When we played Wits away [winning 4–1] everything went our way. With the good players we have, we were often on the attack and very direct. Then we played North West in Mafikeng and it was the exact opposite.”
Fortuin acknowledged the team had some work to do after their recent loss but said the focus and determination in the camp were apparent.
“It’s all about the preparation this week and just focusing on what we have to do – the tactics and making sure we can carry it through at home,” he added. “After last week, I read things that said poor performance reflects poor leadership, so I think it can be turned around to say good performance reflects good leadership. For me, it’s about leading the team by example.”
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