{"id":102366,"date":"2017-10-05T04:53:17","date_gmt":"2017-10-05T02:53:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/ujs-katlego-mabuza-targets-world-cup\/"},"modified":"2017-10-05T04:53:17","modified_gmt":"2017-10-05T02:53:17","slug":"ujs-katlego-mabuza-targets-world-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/ujs-katlego-mabuza-targets-world-cup\/","title":{"rendered":"UJ\u2019s Katlego Mabuza targets World Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"

UJ\u2019s Katlego Mabuza targets World Cup<\/a>: <\/p>\n

\"Katlego<\/p>\n

University of Johannesburg’s Katlego Mabuza, an U20 national player, was a force to be reckoned with throughout the Varsity Women’s Football tournament. Photo: Asem Engage<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

University of Johannesburg’s Katlego Mabuza, a force to be reckoned with throughout the Varsity Women’s Football tournament, will now turn her attention to next year’s Fifa U20 Women’s World Cup in France.<\/p>\n

The midfielder made her mark in their semifinal match against University of Cape Town when she drew first blood and followed it up with a second goal, helping ease the team to a 4-0 victory in Potchefstroom two weeks ago.<\/p>\n

This, she said, was her highlight of the tournament after missing the group games against North-West University and University of the Western Cape.<\/p>\n

In last Thursday’s final, UJ went down to three-time defending champions Tshwane University of Technology, but Mabuza took some consolation in the fact that she had left everything on the field.<\/p>\n

“I missed some of the group matches because of shin splints, but, coming back for the semis and final, I played my best.”<\/p>\n

The 19-year-old, who was selected for the U20 national team earlier this season, said the year had been one filled with valuable lessons.<\/p>\n

“I’ve played three games for the national squad and learnt so much with them,” said the second-year sports management student.<\/p>\n

She was part of the national team who defeated both Swaziland and Namibia 5-0, before again defeating Namibia 4-0 on Sunday.<\/p>\n

It was a successful introduction to the higher level, but Mabuza said it had also shown her how important it was to remain grounded and patient as a player.<\/p>\n

“It’s important to stay humble and keep doing what you love, but also to realise that not everything is going to go your way.”<\/p>\n

She was introduced to the sport at the age of eight when she started kicking around a ball with the boys at home in Soweto.<\/p>\n

Two years later she was playing for a local boys’ team, Hungry Foxes, and caused quite a stir.<\/p>\n

“There was one game we played, my parents were there watching, and I dribbled past this other boy and he just couldn’t believe what happened. Afterwards my coach told me he didn’t want to play anymore because I embarrassed him.”<\/p>\n

She continued playing throughout her school years for the Rosina Sedibane Modiba Sport School in Pretoria before making the cut for the university team.<\/p>\n

The young star said her short-term goal was to help the national team qualify for the World Cup.<\/p>\n

From there she said the end goal would be to sign a professional contract and hopefully play overseas.<\/p>\n

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