Mares Ready For COSAFA Cup
The Mares kick-started their preparations for the COSAFA Women’s Championship with head coach, Gaolethoo ‘Ronaldo’ Nkutlwisang naming her preliminary squad. Ronaldo’s initial 30-member squad reported for camp last Monday. The team misses six players based abroad including, Mamelodi Sundowns’ Sedilame Bosija, Zambia-based Warona Malete, Lone Gaofetoge and Thando Mokgabo, alongside the duo of Thuto Ramafifi and Nthabiseng Mogatle who are based in the USA. The players will join the rest of the squad at a later stage.
Speaking to Botswana Football Association (BFA) media on Friday, Nkutlwisang expressed worries by the fitness levels after a lengthy period on the sidelines.
“We have called into camp a balanced team stirred by both the youth and the experienced.
Our international players will join the camp closer to the tournament. We believe active players will greatly assist our team going into the upcoming tournament. We are going there to compete but for now we should prepare hard and focus on the job at hand,” Nkutlwisang said. The Mares will be looking to go an extra step forward from the last edition’s runnersup finish.
The Mares are pitted in Group B alongside, guest nations Tanzania, South Sudan and neighbors Zimbabwe. The tournament will be played at Port Elizabeth in South Africa, from September 15-22, 2021. Meanwhile, Gaborone Region 1 league side, Double Action have left for South Africa ahead of their COSAFA CAF Champions League qualifiers.
The team is in Group A of the tournament that includes Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, Eswatini’s Manzini Wanderers and Lesotho Defence Force (LDF).
Double Action will begin their quest against Wanderers on Thursday, August 26 at 3pm. On Saturday, August 28 they take on Sundowns at 3pm while and round off the group stage matches against LDF on Monday, August 30 at 3pm.
All games will be played at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.