South Africa eyes on Semi final spot
Durban, South Africa, September 17-: South Africa’s Egyptian born head coach, Hamid El Wassimy was beaming with confidence after his team demolished Mozambique in straight sets (25-16; 25-17; 25-14) in a Group A encounter of the African Nations Cup at the University of Kwa Zulu Natal’s Westville Campus Sports Centre. However, one would expect that a team that had five (5) changes in the week before the championship would have struggled to maintain their shape and form. Experienced campaigner in the international arena, Gershon Rorich, SA team’s new captain, proved the critics wrong and led his team to a convincing win to advance closer to the knock out stage of the African continental showpiece. A win against Central African rivals, Rwanda will assure Wassimy’s men a place in the semi-finals.
Choosing his starting six purely on experience, the cautious Egyptian coach was determined that his charges would make an immediate impact on the game by putting the pressure on SA’s northern neighbours. The South Africans heeded their coach’s instructions and raced to a (16-7) lead that stopped the Mozambiqueans dead in their tracks. Rorich’s fluid setting created ample opportunities for power attackers Freedom Chiya, Thokozani Ntuli, Duran Soobramoney and Peter Size to put the opening set beyond the reach of their opponents by recording a (25-16) win. The ease with which the SA team posted their win gave Coach Wassimy the latitude to experiment with different playing options by giving the first timers in the national team a chance to prove themselves. At the post match interview, coach Wassimy said that he was pleased with the manner in which his ‘rookies’ adjusted to the demands of top flight volleyball and was looking forward to giving them more game time in the remaining matches to boost their confidence.
When SA’s main attacker Freedom Chiya and middle blocker, Sugen Govender were rested in the second set, Lloyd Brady and Patrick Klostermann were thrown into the fray. Veteran playmaker Ryaan Lahldas who was drafted into the national team after an absence of two years lost nothing of his sparkle as he unleashed his attackers with venom. Setter turned attacker Gershon Rorich was particularly devastating as he took apart the Mozambiquean defence by putting quick points on the board. Nicknamed the ‘Red-hot’ attacker by the SA fans Rorich closed proceedings in the second set with a (25-17) scoreline.
When Capetonian Lloyd Brady was joined by fellow newcomer Jamine Naidoo in the third set, they did not disappoint their coach as they immediately made their presence felt.
Latching onto Lahldas’s crafty sets the duo blasted their way past the hapless Mozambique blockers. Naidoo’s quick fire attack from position 2 left the opposition stranded as SA put them out of their misery by taking the set (25-14).
The finals are scheduled for Saturday, starting at 3pm at UKZN’s Westville Campus Sports Centre.
By Donovan Nair, South Africa Volleyball Fed. Press Officer
