Orapa,TAFIC differ on FA Cup venue
The line in the sand has been drawn as Orapa United and TAFIC disagree over the choice of venue ahead of the two teams’ Orange FA Cup semi-final clash. TAFIC and Orapa United will meet at the National Stadium tomorrow at 8pm.
Matjimenyenga has been drawn as the home team and the Orange FA Cup organising committee has fixtured the match in Gaborone as one-half of a double-header semi-finals line-up.
The decision has irked TAFIC, with the Francistown-based team arguing that since both sides are from the north, the match was supposed to be played in that part of the country.
TAFIC indicated that the majority of the two teams’ fan base is in the north hence the two teams will miss playing in front of their home fans. The club, in a Facebook post, suggested the match could have gone to Francistown, Orapa, or Palapye.
Speaking to MmegiSport on Wednesday, Orapa United’s public relations officer, Amelton Gaefhele felt the decision to take the fixture to the capital city echoes fairness, as the two teams would be travelling after the midweek league games. He said the club respects the decisions of the organising committee as he admitted it would come with a cost for the club.
“We respect the decision of the Orange FA Cup Season 5 organisers. Whether it was going to go to Francistown or Gaborone, or anywhere, we would still respect that decision.
“If it was something that was going to be consulted, maybe we would suggest Maun, for example. But we do not make that kind of decision as Orapa United, so we just have to go with what they have decided. It is coming with costs, however, as this would be the third time playing in Gaborone over three weekends but this is the nature of football,” said Gaefhele.
In the other semi-final giant slayers, UB Hawks take on Jwaneng Galaxy. Hawks have continued the minnows’ fairy-tale run over the seasons as they follow in Masitaoka and Matebele’s footsteps of being the second-tier teams that have made it into the last four.
The team knocked out two elite league opponents and has had Galaxy’s coach, Morena Ramoreboli worried. Hawks removed fellow second-tier sides, Tlokweng United and Notwane in the last 48 and last 32 rounds. The Students further beat VTM FC and Police XI in the last 16 and quarterfinals to make it to the last four.
“It is a tough one. UB Hawks has been doing well. I think they have knocked out two teams from the Premier League so they are not just a team that you can say we can easily win over. I think we need to do our best, prepare for them and the most important thing is to analyse and find more information on how they play,” Ramoreboli said.