The foul that saved a dream
Kabelo Boranabi | Thursday July 13, 2017 11:02
But the local girls refused to be cowed and staged a dramatic comeback to win the crucial tie 48-46. The home side chased the game for longer periods and at one stage the visitors held a seven-goal lead casting doubts over Dinaletsana’s dream of progressing to their first ever quarterfinal.
Jamaican attackers, Carlalee Tingling (WA) and Kestina Sturridge (GA) were causing all sorts of problems for the local side. The duo together with Simone Gordon (GS) was no match for the pint-sized Dinaletsana defence, with Tingling orchestrating the team’s moves, outwitting her marker, Sarona Hans.
As for the local side, Cheludo David (GS) was isolated up front as the visitors kept Pearl Maribe in check, forcing the hosts to take long shots, which seemed to work for the visitors. The Jamaicans took a five-goal cushion into half time, leading 25-20.
After the break, Dinaletsana’s three women technical team led by Setshedi Botlhole-Mmopi took a gamble as they replaced key players, Sarona Hans (WD), David, Maribe and Katlego Dipateletso (GD) with Barati Phesodi, Boikanyo Selogetso, Chenesani Mbangiwa and Maipelo Mosotho respectively.
The quartet had seen minimal playing times in the tournament before the change and was tasked with sparking a comeback as the team’s chances to qualify hung by a thread. Botlhole-Mmopi put two markers (Mosotho and Fatima Dino (GK) on the lanky Gordon who was having a walk in the park on the day. On the attack, the team resorted to quick and short passes showing great mobility in the final third. Selogetso and Mbangiwa showed impressive conversion rate as they helped to reduce the gap. The third quarter finished with the teams locked at 34 all. With the crowd rallying behind the home team, the Jamaicans nearly spoilt the party as they took a three-goal lead in the first two minutes of the last quarter.
However, the home team showed great resilience as they took the lead for the first time in the game with less than seven minutes to play.
Fatigue caught up with the Caribbean side, and the home side maintained a one-goal with only seconds on the clock. The visitors were given the centre pass and looked to level the scores but it was Sturridge who hardly put a foot wrong in the game, who was punished for stepping.
The home side took advantage and showed good transition play, Mbangiwa got into the attack and scored the team’s 48th point, thus opening a two goal gap.
A second later, the umpire blew the whistle sending the crowd, players and technical team into undiluted frenzy. The historic result put the home side in pole to advance to the quarter-final for the first time after failing in the first attempt in 2005.