It is a real pity that UCT Ladies head coach Ahmed Parker will not be present when his side march onto the field against defending Coke Cup champions Dangerous Heroes in the Athlone Stadium on Saturday afternoon – but he’ll be there in spirit.
Expectations were high that Parker, who was involved in a car accident along with his fellow coaches Shaquille Williams and Mark Kapman en route to the playoffs in Knysna last week, would be in attendance at the final – but the risk is too high at this stage to discharge him, doctors said.
Hence, Parker’s predecessor Kamaal Sait, who led the UCT side to promotion to the HollywoodBets Super League last weekend, will again be in the dugout to perhaps equal Vasco da Gama Ladies’ treble feat of 2021.
This will be the final game of the season for UCT Ladies and one can expect fireworks as the success in this prestigious competition will just be the cherry on the cake for the university-side.
Sait pointed out that there was not really a lot his side could do more than what they haven’t done in terms of preparation for the cup final but is adamant that they will put up a good advert for football.
“Even if we don’t win, we intend to play a match that can really promote women’s football,” Sait said to No Bones with Jones. “Not enough is being done to better the product.
“Don’t get me wrong, we would love to win (the playoffs), not only for coach Parker, but also for some of our players who are playing their last match for this incredible team, because of graduation and other reasons, you know,” Sait added.
Should UCT Ladies get the better of Heroes, they become only the second women’s side in Safa Cape Town after the now defunct Vasco Ladies to win a treble following their stream league and promotion achievements this season.
“This is all down to the hard work and dedication of the girls. Their names will forever be etched in history as they are the reason we’ve achieved what we did,” Sait concluded.
