TFA Bounces Back with a 3-1 Victory Against AFC on their Home Turf
On Saturday, October 5th, TFA scored a 3-1 win against AFC at Brighton College Dubai, making it their first victory of the season after a challenging start. Coming from a disappointing draw last week, the team displayed significant improvement, showcasing tactical discipline and strong mental strength. The key plays from the match that stood out were a solo run goal by Yonatan Andres and the standout performances from players Abdoulaye Keita and Nika Nozadze.
The first half started as a close contest between the two teams, both showing equal strength and intensity. Kingsley Owusu’s slide tackle and Nika Nozadze’s defensive plays were crucial in building a strong momentum which slowly pushed the tide in TFA’s favor for the rest of the game. Anthony Osei’s penalty goal in the 10th minute gave TFA their first breakthrough and AFC missed their opportunity to equalize the score soon after. Despite the rising tension and the overall heated atmosphere with two yellow cards for TFA, AFC struggled with missed passes and penalties. TFA concluded the first half having slight possession dominance and creating more chances to score.
Second-half kicked off with AFC’s aggressive push, but fouls and missed chances continued to cost them. ATFA’s second goal by Eden Cobbena in the 75th minute after a couple of missed chances and goals going over or side of the net gave them a 2-0 lead over AFC. Yonatan Andres’ solo run goal in the 93rd minute sealed TFA’s victory with the third goal resulting in AFC losing their morale. The game ended with Bel Jean’s consolation goal during extra time, which failed to change the outcome.
Gerald Sibanda, TFA’s partner, was impressed by the quality of the game and praised both teams. He said, “I think there’s something special about TFA. The results from the past few years are now being reflected on the pitch and the players are united.”
“Up front, there was great energy in the last part of the game. I particularly liked the second goal from the striker— it was a well-taken, tough play. Defensively, the team was compact, and they handled the pressure well.”
Sibanda pointed out the contribution of individual players, particularly Yonatan Andres, who scored a brilliant spot-kick goal. “It shows he’s hungry, and I’m sure the coaches will have a tough decision for the next game, as he’s pushing for a starting spot.”
On the topic of TFA’s participation in the upcoming Dubai Open for Football Academies (DOFA) league Sibanda was optimistic. He said, “The sky’s the limit for them. With platforms like DOFA, the players have the chance to showcase their talent and open doors to professional careers. It’s a great opportunity.”
Ali El Jishi, CEO Of TFA, expressed his satisfaction but remained focused on the team’s improvement. He stated that although it was a total contrast from last week, they played okay, but he believes that they can play better which is a compliment to the team.
He acknowledged that the teams were equal in strength at the beginning, but fitness let them down. “We knew they would lose momentum in the second half, and they gave us too much space which we punished.” The team had enough chances to score the fourth or the fifth goal, but they shouldn’t complain after scoring three, he remarked.
Particularly impressed by some of the players, Ali El Jishi acknowledged Andres for taking the opportunity today. “He doesn’t speak English, but I always tell him ‘quanto’—how many are you going to score? He said one, and he delivered.” He also praised Keita, describing him as “a beast” and Tornike Okriashvili a senior player who leads by example on and off the pitch: “Okriashvili is exceptional, and the work rate he puts in is incredible. If you consider the level he came from and the effort he puts in, the work rate he puts in is a compliment to him, because this is the third division and there are young players around him. He fights and I thought he led from the front well. The two boys in midfield, Anthony and Nika, were also solid today.”
Lastly, he praised and gave credit to the coach.
“Congratulations to the coach. It’s not easy— he’s new, and the first game had terrible refereeing. Last week, we conceded in the hundredth minute. But he keeps improving, and we’re very lucky to have him.”
Looking forward, Ali El Jishi identified bravery as an area for improvement for the team. “Our boys sometimes want to walk the ball in instead of shooting. They need to be brave, take the shot when the opportunity arises, and see what happens. We missed a few chances today because of that. We have a saying in this club—today we are better than yesterday. We were better than last week, and if we keep improving like this, we’re going to be at the top.”
Pre-Match Insight from Blessing Mushonga, Head of Performance and Nutritionist
Before the match, I had the chance to sit down with Blessing Mushonga, TFA’s Head of Performance and Nutritionist, to discuss how the team had prepared over the week for their match against AFC.
Mushonga shared that the team has three to four training sessions depending on how close the matches are during the preseason. “We conduct performance tests to asses areas like jump height and power. Nutritionally, we focus on carb-loading the day before the game and make sure the players consume easily digestible, high-carb meals like pasta about 4 hours before kick-off.”
As the weather in the UAE can be extremely hot and humid, Mushonga emphasized the importance of maintaining balance. He said, “Hydration is key due to the extreme heat here. We ensure players stay hydrated with water and electrolytes to maintain homeostasis.”
“Each team brings in a different energy and intensity, so we have to make adjustments accordingly,” Mushonga said as one part of the soccer kids’ preparation is video analysis. Every week the team reviews previous games and identifies areas to improve as well as analyzes their opponent’s play style.
As for the team’s morale coming into the game, Mushonga held a positive outlook for them which proved to be on the mark as TFA took home the win. “We’ve only secured one point from two games, but we know we can do better. We’re entering this match with a winning mentality.”
Mushonga pointed out that the team’s biggest challenge against AFC would be maintaining the momentum and scoring that second goal. “In the past matches, we didn’t start as strongly as we’d like. Scoring that first goal is important, but we must capitalize on that moment and secure the second goal to take control.” Ending the match with three goals, TFA not only overcame the most challenging part of the game but also displayed their potential to reach the top as the star football academy players.
