Sasol Women’s League readies for new season with Wits Ladies eyeing contention
- Tshepiso Mametela
Wits’ Smiling Assassins are gearing up for an all-out assault on the 2021 football season once the Sasol Women’s League makes its anticipated return in April.
Only three games had been played in the previous run of the league before the brakes were put on proceedings in March, last year, due to then-growing coronavirus concerns, with the country subsequently going into a hard lockdown.
But with the easing on Covid-19 restrictions, down to the current alert level 1, organisers have resolved to draw the curtain open on the season after the initial February start was pushed back further to allow most Universities to finish exams.
Before the decision to scrap the 2020 league campaign, Wits Ladies FC sat pretty in fifth on the log after bagging two wins and one defeat in their three outings. The side has since upped the ante by closing out a series of friendly matches as they look to stamp early authority on the latest season when the ball finally gets rolling.
Thapelo Mokobane, Wits Ladies FC manager, said her team would get additional matches under the belt before kick-starting their campaign. “The team has been preparing very well for the season ahead with four friendly matches played in preparation of the league,” said Mokobane.
“The team played against United Ladies, Diepkloof Ladies, Mitos Stars and Juventus Ladies. Of the four matches, the ladies have done well in winning three with a loss only to Diepkloof Ladies. We will play a few more friendlies in further preparation.”
Head coach, Nthabeleng Modiko, has noted how the stop and go nature of the year that was, presented a difficult mountain to climb for her and her troops, but that the team have been working hard to get ready while getting acquainted to the new normal.
“A good chunk of our previous squad is still around, so, there isn’t too many players that we still need to take through procedures and trying to show them how we do things at the University,” explained Modiko.
“So far, with the four friendly games that we’ve played, we’ve faced multi-faceted teams to try and challenge ourselves in various forms. Last season was our first league outing and I think some of the take-aways was the intensity of the competition, which showed that we really were newbies in the league.
“While we were able to get favourable results in some of the games, in others, nerves got the best of the players because we didn’t have the experience, as a team, in terms of how to manage those games.”
A few key strategies will be the wind in the sail if Wits are to soar high while attempting to make their presence felt alongside the more seasoned clubs of the Sasol Women’s League. The nerves of the team’s maiden run will also have to be a thing best left in the past, not only to win games, but to put in a strong challenge for the title.
To ensure a successful run ahead, Modiko said team organisation will be her first order of business. “We made a lot of mistakes in the previous season; we conceded a lot of goals even though we were good in attack, which we will continue to be,” said the coach admittedly.
“We will ensure that we work very hard with our defence coach to ensure that all goes well in terms of stopping the goals. We’ve learned a lot from the previous campaign, where things such as the experience of the players, getting the team to work better, and individualism, worked against us.”
Tactically, Wits are feeling confident of the potency of their strike force, the creativity of the the middle field as well as backline strength. Junior national team player, Shakeerah Jacobs, who has a brick and mortar effect on the team in addition to being a striker par excellence, is one such player who will be looked at as an enforcer.
The recruitment of several experienced players such as Zinise Norris, a versatile and explosive right-wing back formerly of Tuks; the ex-UJ and Soweto Fabulous midfield ace, Nolwazi Mathebula; and Bundua Banda and Lerato Chabalala, both strikers who possess pace and creativity, is also set to bolster the Wits Ladies’ charge.
Jacobs said an air of optimism can be felt within the playing group as the belief they can go all the way in the league takes hold. Commenting on her own form, the lanky forward said she hopes to replicate the goods produced in the team’s recent unofficial games.
“We are working hard as a team and we believe that we can go all way this season. We have painted a picture of the team with a winning mentality and a will to work hard. I hope to lead from the front and continue my form from our recent friendlies.
“I have been improving physically and mentally and that has contributed to my form on the pitch. I have been supplying [my teammates] with more assists and I have been scoring and I’d like to continue this form into the league,” said Jacobs.
Shakeerah Jacobs