ORANGE FA CUP ENTERS FINAL LAP
THE semi-final of the Orange FA Cup has been narrowed to four teams: Gaborone United, Township Rollers, Masitaoka and Orapa United, with winners from this weekend’s two fixtures qualifying for the final.
Majatlhaga will play against the Ostriches at Royal Aria Stadium on Saturday while GU will play against Mapalastina on Sunday at the National Stadium. The winner for this season will walk away with P800,000 while the runnersup will get P400,000 and those eliminated in the semis will be compensated with P160,000 each.
The 2021 FA Cup runners-up, Masitaoka, qualified for the semi-finals after playing to a goalless draw with
BDF XI and won 3-2 on penalties. The Ostriches also played to a goalless draw against their brothers, Jwaneng Galaxy, and won 3-1 on penalty shootout.
The defending champions, GU, reached the semis after walloping relegated Mogoditshane Fighters 6-0 while Popa defeated Security Systems 2-1. This promises, by all accounts, to be an exciting fixture as the two rivals meet fresh from the Gaborone City derby played last weekend. Moyagoleele are still holding the city bragging rights after defeating their cross-town nemesis, Rollers 2-0. The defending champions, GU, will be seeking a third successive Orange Cup crown.
Moyagoleele will march onto the pitch inspired by the new developments in their technical bench, following the introduction of former Zebras tactician, Peter Butler, as their new Football Director. He has been working closely with the club Head Coach, Pontsho Moloi, and his assistant, Stephen Maposa, during training this week.
Fresh from a 5-0 defeat to Galaxy at the weekend, the Ostriches will want to redeem themselves in the FA Cup competition. Coach Tawurayi Magwiro and his charges will come into the game buoyed by the return of their forward livewire, Omaatla Dunga Kebatho, who has been out of action for almost a month with a toe injury. This will be his first game of the FA Cup this season. Kebatho returned to league action last weekend when he was introduced as a substitute in the last minutes of the game. The 29-year-old Kebatho is the league’s joint top goal scorer with 20 goals together with Jwaneng Galaxy’s Thabang Sesinyi, who scored a hat-trick over the weekend.