Panorama begins GDL season on a low note against Highlands Park
Highlands managed to win three of the four games on the day, with the fourth ending as a draw.
Panorama Football Club kicked off its 2019 Gauteng Development League season with three losses and a draw against Highlands Park on Saturday, 2 March.
The Undertakers were undoubtedly hoping to get their 2019 GDL season off to a solid start in the new kit which they sported for the first time against Highlands after a lacklustre 2018 season which saw only their U/17 team finish in the Top 8 of their league. Highlands, whose first team is enjoying improved success in their second Absa Premiership season, was hoping to show their dominance as they continue their rise in South African football.
The match day kicked off with the U/13 teams locking horns on the A Field, and the U/15 teams going toe-to-toe on the B Field as Panorama’s supporters cheered in hope of strong performances from the home sides. Panorama, who fielded a slightly young U/13 team as a few U/12s were drafted into the team, managed to get the lead in the U/13 game. Their lead was short-lived however, as Highlands managed to run away with the rest of the game and end up winning 5–1, a disappointing result for The Undertakers.
The U/15 game provided a much better result for Panorama however, despite the boys going two goals behind in the first half. An inspired talk from their coach must’ve breathed new life into them as they pulled one goal back before they were able to cancel out Highlands’ second goal to tie the game at 2–2. Play would go back and forth for the remainder of the match, as neither side was able to break the deadlock, with the score finishing on 2–2.
This would be Panorama’s only point for the day as neither the U/17s nor the U/19s were able to salvage some pride for the home fans. The U/17s kicked off before the U/19s and struggled to deal with the heavy high-pressure tactics that Highlands used before losing the game 4–1 to Highlands. The U/19 team benefited from the services of a few players from last year’s U/17s as well as a few from TS Galaxy FC’s development structures. Despite looking far more promising than Highlands in the first half, the home side was unable to convert their chances and make use of their possession while Highlands was able to convert their chances. Highlands emerged 5–2 victors at the end of 90 minutes as they got their season off to a solid start.
