SA footballers in bronze battle
SOUTH Africa will compete for the bronze medal in the women’s football tournament at the World Student Games in Kazan, Russia, after going down 4-1 against Mexico in a tough semifinal clash on Saturday.
Sandra Mayor scored in the sixth minute to give Mexico the early lead, but Leandra Smeda hit back almost immediately to equalise for the SA women.
And while they never gave up the fight, the South Africans were ultimately outclassed, with Veronica Corral netting a brace and Monica Monsivais putting the result beyond doubt.
“We started the game very well, ” said SA coach Jerry Laka.
“We created a number of opportunities in the first 10 minutes but were unable to convert.
“Unfortunately, we gave the game away in the first five minutes, which possibly killed us as a team, but I am proud of my girls. They never gave up.”
The SA women will face Brazil or Great Britain in the bronze medal play-off today.
“We need to give our best,” Laka said. “We ’ re going all out and hopefully we will be on the podium.”
Meanwhile, the SA men’s hockey side will turn out against Korea in the play-off for fifth position today.
Brandon Panther scored in the 28th minute in their final Group A match against Malaysia, but Muhammed Abdrahim equalised shortly before the break and Ahmad Nasruddin buried the winner with less than 20 minutes left in the match.
Elsewhere, in the swimming pool, Leith Shankland narrowly missed out on a place in the men’s 100m freestyle final.
Shankland touched the wall in 49.62 in the semifinals of his event, losing out on a spot in the last eight by 0.05 seconds.
On the first day of the canoeing competition, Alasdair Glass and Stuart Maclaren finished second in their semifinal in the men’s K2 1 000m event to qualify for yesterday’s final.
The duo were also sixth in their heat in the men’s K2 200m event, booking their place in the semifinals.
Calven Clack reached the semifinals of the men’s K1 1 000m discipline but was eliminated in the penultimate round.
Clack was also sixth in his K1 200m heat, progressing to the semifinals. –