The Nigerian Women’s Football League Premiership defending champions, Rivers Angels will look to bounce back and revive their hope of surviving the group stage when they face South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, on Tuesday, November 9, 2021 at Al Salam Stadium, Cairo by 6pm Nigeria time.
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies’ Coach, Jerry Tshabalala believes the Angels will be keen to respond emphatically when they meet later today, after their 3-0 hammering at the hands of Morocco’s ASFAR in their opener.
“The game against Rivers Angels will be a very tough one for us. We have studied them quite well and they are a very strong and physical side. We need the 3points to seal our semifinals spot but they are also desperate for the 3points after losing their opener, they will be keen to get their campaign back on track. Therefore, we have to be cautious in the way we approach this game. If we are to become the Champions of Africa, these are the games we have to win.
“We are aware of the challenges they faced before their first game but we are going to frustrate them to achieve our goal. We are ready for the challenge because this is one of the biggest games of our lives,” Coach Tshabalala stated.
A second win for the Sundowns Ladies will guarantee their spot in the final four. However, Captain Nhlapho who marshals the Sundowns defence is anticipating a tough fixture.
“They are a very solid unit and a well-structured side. They have good movements and transitions with and without the ball. As a team, we need to ensure that our ball distribution abilities are spot on against them. The coaching team has constantly stressed the need for patience when we are facing sides with a deep-lying defensive setup.
“We won the game with a slim margin which we are not used to. We are used to scoring 5-8 goals per match, so we have to be more ruthless with our finishing against Rivers Angels because that is the only way to seal the victory. It’s not going to be an easy battle, but we are confident of our chances,” stated the defender.
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