UWC is still confident of reaching their goal of making it into the semifinals of this year’s Varsity Football competition despite their poor start in the competition.
The Bellville-based UWC team have managed only one point out of a possible nine from their three first outings and find themselves at the bottom of the standings alongside neighbours from UCT and newcomers from Limpopo.
But UWC coach Aboobaker “Boebie” Williams believes that his charges still have a chance to make it into the top four if they turn their fortunes quick and win games.
“We need to start winning and get at least nine points out of the 12 points on offer in the remaining four games,” Williams, the former national Under 17 and Under 20 coach, commented this week after he watched his side going down 2-1 at home to the Kovsies on Monday.
In that game at UWC Sports Stadum, UWC seemed on course to register their first win when striker Curtley Beukes scored in the first half to put his side front.
Williams believes his side could have finished the game in the first stanza if they had taken their scoring opportunities presented. Instead, Kovsies equalised before halftime and grabbed the winning goal in the second half.
Williams said besides a few errors his defence did well on the night, despite the absence of inspirational skipper Cleo Pokpas, who was still nursing a knee injury.
The coach’s focus is on a combination between the midfielders and strikers, and polishing the finishing.
“We still have a chance in this competition and I think the boys will come right,” Williams said.
The UWC team may also put their hopes in the fact that they have already played the three universities who currently occupy the top three spots on the log.
They drew 2-2 with pace-setters from UJ, and narrowly lost 1-0 away to second-placed NWU before going down to Kovsies who are lying third.
But UWC must still travel to Port Elizabeth next Monday to face last year’s runners-up NMMU, and must still host champions UP-Tuks at home in three weeks.
And they must also honour University Sport South Africa on Wednesdays and League matches on weekends. Those should give the UWC side opportunity to gel as a team.
By Myolisi Gophe
