Limba Mupetami

The Brave Gladiators triumphed over the University of Pretoria women’s team, AmaTuks Ladies, with a commanding 4-0 victory in a practice match held in Pretoria last Thursday. 

This game marks an important step in the Gladiators’ preparations as they gear up for two friendly matches against the Liechtenstein national football team on 11 and 14 July in Zurich, Switzerland. 

These matches are pivotal as they will help fine-tune the team in readiness for the upcoming Cosafa Women’s Championship, the dates of which are yet to be announced, as well as next year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Head coach Woody Jacobs expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance. 

“We had a very good game. It started off slowly, as the players were dealing with fatigue. But once we made some changes and entered the first quarter, we managed to score four goals. Playing a match is different from training; it demands a lot. It wasn’t a perfect game, but perfection is something we strive for every time we step onto the pitch,” he said.

Gladiators captain Lovisa Mulunga emphasised the significance of the match against AmaTuks Ladies, saying it was crucial for boosting the team’s fitness ahead of the international friendlies against Liechtenstein. 

“The intensive match against AmaTuks was very important as it boosted our match fitness, which is vital for our upcoming games,” she noted.

AmaTuks coach Maude Khumalo also found value in the friendly match, stating that her team learned a great deal from the encounter. 

“The Namibian team is very aggressive and cohesive. I wish them all the best in their upcoming friendly matches and the Cosafa championship,” she said.

The Gladiators depart South Africa for Liechtenstein today, as they continue their quest for success on the international stage.

-lmupetami@nepc.com.na