An epic battle is expected in the final of the 2016 Sasol League National Championship between Bloemfontein Celtic (Free State) and JVW FC (Gauteng).

An epic battle is expected in the final of the 2016 Sasol League National Championship between Bloemfontein Celtic (Free State) and JVW FC (Gauteng).

The match will be played at the D’Almeida Stadium in Mosselbaai, Western Cape on Sunday, 11 December.

Kickoff is at 15h00.

Between the two of them, Celtic and JVW have scored 19 goals – with the bulk (15) coming from the Free State side.

Celtic finished in 5th place in 2015 but are in the final for the first time after nine attempts, a great achievement according to their coach.

“To be honest, I lack words. Since the beginning of the season the girls have been saying coach this year we will not only make the National Championship, but also go to the final and win it. So they have made it to the final and the title is now within reach. Gratitude goes to all our families and supporters because it is not easy to give ladies a chance to play football,” said Celtic coach Edwin Lisene.

While it may seem that the Celtic squad has an advantage, Lisene doesn’t see it that way.

“We cannot talk about our advantage because of the experience we have – if you think about it, JVW has players that play for Banyana Banyana and some of their players were with other teams before and have played in the national championship, so it will not be easy to win against them. They have various formations because they have good players like Makhabane, Nyandeni, Dlamini and Linda – those are skillful players that can kill off any team but we will plan well for them and do our best,” added Lisene.

JVW are making their debut in the National Championship and they admit it was not easy.

“I am so happy for our little family, the girls have bonded together from day one. At every hurdle we have kicked harder and harder and this tournament has summed it up in a way – very tough first game, tackles flying in, second game similar story and third game we grounded out the result. We are a tight family and we keep climbing the walls that have been put up against us and I am so happy for the girls,” said JVW coach Dylan Carreira Miguel.

“We are all awestruck to be honest with you, it’s something we are all immensely pround of. At the beginning of the season we were just hoping to have a good run, top two and see how it goes – now we find ourselves in the final of the Sasol National Championship, we couldn’t be prouder.”

Miguel refuses to accept the underdog tag as he believes what’s important is what happens on the day.

“I don’t believe in any tag for the final, anything can happen on the day. You have seen it many times when teams are labelled as underdogs and come out comfortable winners. So I think it depends on what happens on the day, the fact that we got into the final on debut shows that the experience within the National Championship doesn’t really matter. We have got good momentum and what is good for us is that we haven’t played to our full potential, we havent played the type of football that got us here. Hopefull we can do that in the final,” added Miguel.

“I am very confident going into this match, and with our girls anything is possible. I never doubt them at all, if we can just do ourselves proud, because we hold ourselves at very high standards at JVW, then we have a very good chance.”

Both Celtic and JVW needed late penalties to book their places in the final but the Gauteng side had perhaps a much tougher route to the final.

They (JVW) won 3-2 in their opening clash against a difficult UWC, and followed it up with a 1-0 victory over a stubborn Durban Ladies, before disposing of Coal City Wizzards in the semi-final.

Celtic struggled to a 3-2 win over the same Coal City Wizzards in their opening game, but cruised to a 11-1 win in the next game against Richmond Ladies. In the third match they beat Kanatla Ladies 1-0.

The Free State side has conceded three goals in an as many matches, while JVW let in only two.

The Gauteng repsentatives will be without their livewire player, Linda Motlhalo, who is off to Angola to join the South African u20 Women’s National Team (Basetsana) at the 2016 AU Zone 5 Games.

They are now left with five players from the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana squad – Yolula Tsawe, Janine van Wyk, Mamello Makhabane, Amanda Dlamini and Nompumelelo Nyandeni who missed the semi-final because of injury.

Celtic has striker Shiwe Nogwanya and defender Bambanani Mbane on their books.

The final will be broadcast live on SABC 1.

In the 3rd/4th Place Play-off, Kanatla Ladies will face Coal City Wizzards at 11h30. The clash will also take place on Sunday, 11 December at the D’Almeida Stadium.


ROAD TO THE FINAL:

CELTIC:

3 – 2 vs Coal City Wizzards
11 – 1 vs Richmond Ladies 1 – 0 vs Kanatla Ladies (semi-final)

JVW:

3 – 2 vs UWC
1 – 0 vs Durban Ladies
1 – 0 vs Coal City Wizzards (semi-final)

DAY 6 FIXTURES – SUNDAY, 11 December 2016
3rd/4th Place Play-Off
Kanatla Ladies vs Coal City Wizzards 11h30
FINAL
Bloemfontein Celtic vs JVW 15h00