ORANGE QUARTERS
Now, that number is down to just eight.
After swatting Tafic aside at the second time of asking on Wednesday, Debswana First Division South’s Matebele FC are the only non Premier League side to make the quarters.
Having slain a Francistown ‘giant’, the promotion hopefuls now host one of the biggest clubs in the land, Jwaneng Galaxy.
While the match pits fourth in the second tier against third in the BPL, in truth the two sides are worlds apart - that’s the beauty of the cup, little and large come together as equals! Galaxy survived a scare in the previous round against Black Forest in the dust of Mmankgodi, going a goal down but recovering to win 2-1.
The defending champions, Gaborone United, who have looked unstoppable in the competition so far, take on Police XI.
Both teams secured their places in the last eight with victories in Ghetto, albeit in slightly different circumstances.
On Friday night, GU served up a scintillating five-star performance at the Obed Itani Chilume stadium, dazzling under the lights as they dismantled lower league, Calendar Stars 5-0, to move a step closer to retaining their title.
The following day, the cops came up against Eleven Angels (see pg 54), falling a goal behind before eventually recovering to win 2-1.
Having held the Money Machine to a 1-1 draw earlier in the season (they lost the home meeting 3-0), the Jungle Kings know what it takes to stop the rampant Reds as they go searching for a crown of their
own.
Sua Flamingoes, meanwhile, welcome BDF XI to town, both sides scrapping through against the leading teams in the First Divisions.
Flying into Phikwe, the Flamingoes knocked Nico United out in the north while down south the Army Boys required penalties to banish Holy Ghost, who were haunted from the spot, converting just once from 12 yards to lose 3-1 (the game had ended 1-1).
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the last 16 came in Lobatse, where an alert Security Systems rolled over Township Rollers 2-1. Coach Wire Kaelo’s Alarm Boys’ reward for popping Popa’s cup dreams is a return to Lobatse, where Extension Gunners lie in wait.
In the previous round, Gunners proved too good for regional side, BIUST All Stars, running out comprehensive 3-0 winners.
When the two sides met in the league recently, Systems dismantled Gunners 3-0; Mapantsula will be hungry for quick revenge.
All eight quarter-finalists are guaranteed a P60,000 cheque,
while progression to the semis sees the windfall rise to P150,000. A place in the grand final is worth P350,000 – half of what the winner’s go home with!