Race against time to avoid chop
Just eight rounds of the Botswana Premier League remain ahead of this weekend’s fixtures and it is heating up at the bottom, the same way it is at the top. The race to avoid the dreaded axe is in full swing and gets interesting by the week.
Mathematically, the entire bottom half of the log teams are not safe from the chop. However, the battle appears intensified from 12th-placed Prisons XI to rock bottom Mahalapye Railway Highlanders.
The two teams who have been in and around the relegation positions face tricky ties over the weekend. Prisons XI take on 13th-placed Mogoditshane Fighters. It is a five points gap between the two teams and Prisons XI know that a win against Fighters may pull them eight points away from the relegation position.
A defeat will bring the two close to the red zone while a stalemate would not change their situation and it depends on how their rivals play over the weekend.
The Warders are slight favourites ahead of the tie to be played at the Otse Stadium tomorrow afternoon. The team has two wins, two draws and a loss in the last five games.
Their opponents, the Samba Boys also won two games from the last five but lost the other three. Onloan Rollers’ striker, Kitso Mpuisang could make the difference for Prisons XI on Saturday, as he has found the net nine times this season.
Gilport Lions will hope to end their winless streak on Saturday afternoon against Police XI at the Lobatse Sports Complex.
Lions are on the back of a five-game losing streak and will be hopeful for a change of fortunes in their bid to stay afloat. From their last five games, the Gillies have not found the back of the net as they face a Police XI side that is on a resurgence after a dip in form. The Jungle Kings have not conceded in the last two games and could prove a tough ask for the coach, Paradzayi Madivenga and his cubs.
At the Serowe Sports Complex, Mahalapye Railway Highlanders welcome Extension Gunners. The home side has just two wins in their 22 games played and they face an energetic Gunners side that is looking to squeeze into the top eight. Coach, Thaloba Nthaga is chasing his first win in Notwane colours after his debut yielded a 1-1 draw against Extension Gunners. A point gained in the past weekend has not had much of an impact on his new task. He will aim for Daniel ‘Chico’ Nare’s Morupule Wanderers’ scalp at the Lobatse Sports Complex on Sunday afternoon. Wanderers have not won in six games while Toronto has won just once in their last five games. This could be the right tonic for a heavily contested tie, as both coaches look to turn their fortunes around.
In other games, this evening Masitaoka, who have a bad run of form welcome BDF XI at the VTM Stadium. Tomorrow, second-placed Township Rollers’ title charges face their former coach, Mogomotsi ‘Teenage’ Mpote as Popa visit Orapa United at the Itekeng Stadium. Security Systems’ Kaelo ‘Wire’ Kaelo will also be in a reunion with his former club and log leaders, Gaborone United on Sunday afternoon at the National Stadium.