picture: buntu gotywa
Greenwood’s Ryan Adams scored their only goal to lead them into the first half.
Westridge answered with a late stunner, before the referee blew the final whistle.
Greenwood’s head coach, Lionel Miller said they played a good game against a tough opponent.
He said this was one of the best games they have played in the Coke Cup this year.
Miller said there was not much to say to the players at half time, as they were playing well.
“We scored the first goal and led for the rest of the match until they scored in the last 20 minutes to equalise. That took us straight into penalties,” he said.
Miller said if they had taken most of their chances, they would have finished off the game after 90-minutes, however, Westridge had other plans.
Miller said during the penalties, his goalkeeper, Kyle Martin was beyond exceptional, as he saved the first two penalties, applying pressure to his opposition.
“Our players worked very hard, they showed that they wanted to win.
“They were confident. So far, in the Coke Cup, we are convinced that we can go all the way because of Sunday’s game,” he said.
Miller said as a result of the players being well prepared for the cup, they are looking forward to the next game.
“Sunday’s performance for the overall team was very good, but we will have to improve for the upcoming fixtures,” he said.
Miller said they will look to take their cup confidence into the Cape District LFA and the SAB League.
“At the same time we have the local LFA, the Coke Cup and the SAB. We’re not doing very well in the local LFA because we’re resting a few of our players, to prepare them for the SAB and the cup.
“However, we’re learning new styles and applying new tactics,” he said.
Miller said although they are resting a couple of their senior players, it has granted them the opportunity to introduce some of their junior players to the senior squad.
He said the junior players have made a phenomenal contribution to the senior team.
“It’s an exciting thing. We have a couple of juniors who played on Sunday, including one of the mid-fielders, Iekraam Petersen, an 18-year-old Grade 12 pupil at Steenberg High.
“He was very good in contributing to the team in the midfield,” said Miller.
He praised the supporters and the management who have been backing the team since the beginning of the season.
“The expectations of this season will have to be even higher. We’re working quite hard with the players and putting in preparation for each game.
“We want to thank the supporters for all they have shown, sacrificing their time and coming out to games. It means a lot to us as a team,” he said.
Meanwhile, the under-18s were defeated 2-0 by Rygersdal FC at the Turfhall sports complex in Athlone on Sunday.
The two Rygersdal goals came via penalties in the second half. The two junior sides were evenly matched with most of the action taking place in the middle of the park but Greenwood goalkeeper, Zain Mathews was the busier of the two.
Rygersdal at times spent the majority of the game in the final third, but a resolute defending by Greenwood kept them at bay.
In the end the pressure was too much as they were forced to conceded two penalties that saw them bow out in the last 64 of the competition.