The Mamelodi Sundowns Under-16 girls continue to impress with their excellent start in the Gauteng Women’s Development League (GWDL). In the latest round of fixtures, they secured a 1-0 victory over Highlands Park and a 0-0 draw against JVW FC, maintaining their unbeaten record.
Coach Andisiwe Mgcoyi was pleased with the stern test that both games provided for the girls and highlighted areas for improvement.
“Our girls fought bravely against opponents who employed low blocks. This highlights the need for us to focus our attention on this aspect moving forward, as certain opponents will be determined to frustrate our Plan A. This kind of training will enable our girls to develop the skills and strategies needed to break down stubborn defensive formations. Our ultimate goal is to become a formidable force in the league, capable of overcoming any defensive strategy thrown our way,” Mgcoyi stated.
Despite scoring just one goal in two games, Coach Zanele Nhlapho remains optimistic and sees a lot of positives in the team’s performances.
“As coaches, our utmost desire is to witness the growth of these girls in every aspect of their game. We acknowledge that they faced physically demanding opponents and we are pleased with the never-die attitude they have displayed thus far. Despite the challenges, we created numerous promising opportunities during the matches. Moving forward, we will work on sharpening their shooting techniques, composure in front of the goal and decision-making in critical moments,” said Zanele.
Coach Rhoda Mulaudzi believes these matches were among the best played so far, as she had anticipated their toughness.
“It was fantastic to see a significant number of supporters attending and enjoying high-quality football. The nerves were apparent, especially when facing JVW, who proved to be a formidable and solid opponent. Although we were unable to score against them, we demonstrated our dominance in certain areas of the game and outplayed them. The fact that we competed well against top-four opponents and displayed our strengths demonstrates the progress and potential of our team. We will build on these performances and continue to work on improving our gameplay,” Rhoda stated.
The Mamelodi Sundowns Under-16 girls have won six games and drawn one this season. They still have a game in hand and possess an impressive goal difference of +30.
Up next for the Under-16 girls are matches against West Youth Academy and Rovers FC scheduled for the 23rd of July 2023.
