Magic Ladies in do-or-die clash against Buffaloes
The head coach of Namibian champions Tura Magic Ladies, Timo Tjongarero, says Sunday’s 3-0 defeat against Zimbabwean side Black Rhinos Queens in their opening match of the ongoing Cosafa Women’s Champions League was a huge learning curve.
Therefore, going into today’s clash against Zambia’s Green Buffaloes, they will make amends.
Speaking to the media after the defeat, Tjongarero said they had plenty of opportunities to run away with the match, but his charges failed to convert their chances when it mattered most. He also blamed the windy conditions in Durban, saying it made it a bit difficult for them.
“Playing the first game is always a challenge because you need to get the feel of the pitch, and the feel of the ball is different from what we are used to at training. This is a good quality pitch, but the wind is there and all elements of nature made it hard for us.
“But all teams played in these elements. I think our opponents had an edge over us because they had a game they played before us, and that helped them work better on their combinations and so forth. They are a quality side too,” he added.
But Tjongarero remains hopeful of progressing to the next round of the inaugural league, which will see the tournament’s eventual winner automatically qualifying for the maiden edition of the Caf Women’s Champions League, slated for Egypt later this year.
Green Buffaloes on Friday lost their opening match 2-0 against Rhinos Queens. The Namibians still stand a chance of advancing to the semi-finals of the seven-team regional competition, provided they beat Buffaloes today, as any other inferior result will see them bowing out.
“But we learned, and these are the things that make football interesting and beautiful. It is how you move on from the mistakes that determine the mentality of the player,” said an optimistic Tjongarero.
Only the top two teams from each of the two groups will advance to the semi-finals on Thursday. For the semi-finals, the winner of Group B will play the runnerup of Group A and vice-versa in the second semi-final clash. The final is pencilled in for Friday, and there will be no bronze medal match.