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Subject: [u21 NT] Friendlies
Our friendly opponents this week are Australia. They have 127 users and their u21 squad consists of 38 players averaging R3.4m. We currently have 19 users, a squad of 40 players, and they also average R3.4m.
Australia's marks and results this season:
46.4 (3-1), 47.9 (1-2), 50.9 (2-1), 50.2 (2-4), 51.3 (2-0), 42.5 (1-4) => won 3, lost 3, best mark 51.3
Our marks and results this season:
51.4 (0-1), 51.1 (1-1), 43.5 (6-0), 48.1 (1-7), 53.4 (3-2), 51.6 (0-1) => won 2, drew 1, lost 3, mark 53.4
We look quite evenly matched and it should be an entertaining match.
Australia's marks and results this season:
46.4 (3-1), 47.9 (1-2), 50.9 (2-1), 50.2 (2-4), 51.3 (2-0), 42.5 (1-4) => won 3, lost 3, best mark 51.3
Our marks and results this season:
51.4 (0-1), 51.1 (1-1), 43.5 (6-0), 48.1 (1-7), 53.4 (3-2), 51.6 (0-1) => won 2, drew 1, lost 3, mark 53.4
We look quite evenly matched and it should be an entertaining match.
Sorry fellers, very poor on my part. We should've done better than that.
Next up is a friendly against Albania (Shqiperia). We were scheduled to play Belgium, but they're through to the semi-final of the U21 World Cup, and Albania had sent through an invitation to play. Just as well we're not playing Belgium, I guess!
Albania has 18 users. Their u21 squad consists of 40 players, average age 20.0, average value R3.1m.
South Africa has 19 users. Our u21 squad consists of 40 players, average age 20.2, average value R3.4m.
Season marks (results) to date:
Albania -> 47.5 (0-4), 48.4 (0-6), 49.3 (2-2), 46.9 (0-4), 47.5 (2-1), 49.4 (2-1), 50.2 (4-2)
South Africa -> 51.4 (0-1), 51.1 (1-1), 43.5 (6-0), 48.1 (1-7), 53.4 (3-2), 51.6 (0-1), 54.8 (0-1)
Albania -> Won 3, Drawn 1, Lost 3, Scored 10, Conceded 20, Median Mark 48.4, Best Mark 50.2
South Africa -> Won 2, Drawn 1, Lost 4, Scored 11, Conceded 13, Median Mark 51.4, Best Mark 54.8
(edited)
Albania has 18 users. Their u21 squad consists of 40 players, average age 20.0, average value R3.1m.
South Africa has 19 users. Our u21 squad consists of 40 players, average age 20.2, average value R3.4m.
Season marks (results) to date:
Albania -> 47.5 (0-4), 48.4 (0-6), 49.3 (2-2), 46.9 (0-4), 47.5 (2-1), 49.4 (2-1), 50.2 (4-2)
South Africa -> 51.4 (0-1), 51.1 (1-1), 43.5 (6-0), 48.1 (1-7), 53.4 (3-2), 51.6 (0-1), 54.8 (0-1)
Albania -> Won 3, Drawn 1, Lost 3, Scored 10, Conceded 20, Median Mark 48.4, Best Mark 50.2
South Africa -> Won 2, Drawn 1, Lost 4, Scored 11, Conceded 13, Median Mark 51.4, Best Mark 54.8
(edited)
1-0 isn't that bad, still would have liked to have beaten the Ozzies, but I thought we played all right.
Darnit! Yet another loss by a single goal, this time 2-3.
We fought back from 0-2 down by scoring in the 79th and 86th minutes but conceded the winner with only 2 minutes to play. Overall stats saw us dominate territorially and by shots but that wasn't good enough against a side that we honestly should have beaten.
Stober went off with a serious injury in the first half. This will definitely see him miss at least some of the African Cup of Nations, something we can't afford at the back.
Next week is our last friendly before the tournament starts. I've arranged an u19 friendly with Scotland.
(edited)
We fought back from 0-2 down by scoring in the 79th and 86th minutes but conceded the winner with only 2 minutes to play. Overall stats saw us dominate territorially and by shots but that wasn't good enough against a side that we honestly should have beaten.
Stober went off with a serious injury in the first half. This will definitely see him miss at least some of the African Cup of Nations, something we can't afford at the back.
Next week is our last friendly before the tournament starts. I've arranged an u19 friendly with Scotland.
(edited)
Scotland have 119 users to our 18, so we're just a little outnumbered.
I've called up a bunch of young players into the squad for the friendly, so obviously a number of older players have had to be dropped. They'll get recalled in needed during the rest of the season, and any 20 year olds dropped are very likely to get a recall next season.
With the injury to our most valuable u19 outfielder (Roskruge), and Lehoko's team having gone BOT, team selection for this match was a little tricky. We have some very promising youngsters in there (Bell, Davies and Djiehoua for example), but filling the starting 11 did require selecting players with some major weaknesses. It will be interesting to see how they cope.
We're solid in goals with almost nothing to choose between Katongo and Masanabo. Masanabo was sold yesterday, and hopefully his new manager continues to train him.
I've called up a bunch of young players into the squad for the friendly, so obviously a number of older players have had to be dropped. They'll get recalled in needed during the rest of the season, and any 20 year olds dropped are very likely to get a recall next season.
With the injury to our most valuable u19 outfielder (Roskruge), and Lehoko's team having gone BOT, team selection for this match was a little tricky. We have some very promising youngsters in there (Bell, Davies and Djiehoua for example), but filling the starting 11 did require selecting players with some major weaknesses. It will be interesting to see how they cope.
We're solid in goals with almost nothing to choose between Katongo and Masanabo. Masanabo was sold yesterday, and hopefully his new manager continues to train him.
Our friendly today is against Ecuador. It's the first game for the new look u21 side as all the players have aged today. It'll be interesting, and hopefully the tactic I've got planned will prove entertaining. :)
South Africa
12 users (only 6 active)
40 players in u21 squad
average age 20.1
average value 2.515m
1595.18 rank points
Ecuador
156 users
30 players in u21 squad
average age 20.1
average value 2.161m
1577.59 rank points
It's very difficult to guess how we'll do without our older stars. Despite Ecuador's larger user base, the squads would suggest that we're in with a chance here. Let's hope for the best. The match kicks off at 8.29pm South African time.
South Africa
12 users (only 6 active)
40 players in u21 squad
average age 20.1
average value 2.515m
1595.18 rank points
Ecuador
156 users
30 players in u21 squad
average age 20.1
average value 2.161m
1577.59 rank points
It's very difficult to guess how we'll do without our older stars. Despite Ecuador's larger user base, the squads would suggest that we're in with a chance here. Let's hope for the best. The match kicks off at 8.29pm South African time.
We were meant to play Crna Gora this week but they booked against Poland. I've set up a late friendly against Morocco (Al Maghrib) - their opponents also double-booked.
We beat them comfortably 7-1 in the ANC earlier this season but now we've got the new squads lining up. With the WC qualifiers starting next week (important match against Macedonia), I may field a second string side for this match.
We beat them comfortably 7-1 in the ANC earlier this season but now we've got the new squads lining up. With the WC qualifiers starting next week (important match against Macedonia), I may field a second string side for this match.
We've got a friendly today against Paraguay. As a sokker nation they are much larger than us at 163 users. The average value of their u21 squad is higher than ours at 3.3 million, but not by all that much (we're at 2.7m).
We will both be using weakened sides since we have World Cup qualifiers next week, and it's possible that Paraguay's depth will be better than ours, making this a tricky contest. I will be giving quite a few players their first caps, and will be happy if we put up a respectable fight with what will be very much a B team.
We will both be using weakened sides since we have World Cup qualifiers next week, and it's possible that Paraguay's depth will be better than ours, making this a tricky contest. I will be giving quite a few players their first caps, and will be happy if we put up a respectable fight with what will be very much a B team.
Only lost 1-2 in the friendly, but I wasn't impressed with the performance. That's to be expected though, with our lack of depth due to the small player base.
We're playing a friendly against India this week and we've agreed to use sides made up of largely uncapped players.
All 8 uncapped players currently in the U21 squad will start the match, and the balance of the side and the bench (except for Masanabo as the keeper sub) will be made up of players with only 1 cap.
It's impossible to predict how we'll do here. The team will obviously be quite weak, especially in the stamina department, but the players all have potential. India is also a small nation (59 users) and will likewise have difficulty fielding a decent side.
All 8 uncapped players currently in the U21 squad will start the match, and the balance of the side and the bench (except for Masanabo as the keeper sub) will be made up of players with only 1 cap.
It's impossible to predict how we'll do here. The team will obviously be quite weak, especially in the stamina department, but the players all have potential. India is also a small nation (59 users) and will likewise have difficulty fielding a decent side.
The youngsters did well, eventually going down to an extra time goal, the score having been 1-1 at full time.
The passing was woeful at times, along with the selection of pass, but some individual perforamces were very promising. Shane Jordan stood out for me in the defence.
The passing was woeful at times, along with the selection of pass, but some individual perforamces were very promising. Shane Jordan stood out for me in the defence.
Yesterday I fielded our u20 side against Cameroon.
Despite Tsepo Davies getting sent off after only 5 minutes, leaving the right hand side of our defence completely vulnerable, the youngsters went on to dominate the match.
The defensive mid gap allowed Cameroon to have more shots at goal than I would have liked, but they only managed to convert 1 of their 13 chances while we managed to slot 5 of our 22.
19 year old George Cameron managed to shut out his more experienced strike partner, Charles Roskruge, and scored all 5 himself.
Next week we're up against Poland. For us to qualify, not only will we have to beat Poland and Macedonia, but Latvia would have to lose to both Vietnam and Poland. That being the case, maybe the boys can have some fun against the big guns next week and hope for the best. We gave them a fair fight in the opening match, going down 2-5, though it's fair to say they were too strong for us.
Despite Tsepo Davies getting sent off after only 5 minutes, leaving the right hand side of our defence completely vulnerable, the youngsters went on to dominate the match.
The defensive mid gap allowed Cameroon to have more shots at goal than I would have liked, but they only managed to convert 1 of their 13 chances while we managed to slot 5 of our 22.
19 year old George Cameron managed to shut out his more experienced strike partner, Charles Roskruge, and scored all 5 himself.
Next week we're up against Poland. For us to qualify, not only will we have to beat Poland and Macedonia, but Latvia would have to lose to both Vietnam and Poland. That being the case, maybe the boys can have some fun against the big guns next week and hope for the best. We gave them a fair fight in the opening match, going down 2-5, though it's fair to say they were too strong for us.