MATEBELE WAYLAYS GU
Morena Ramoreboli’s side had just completed their journey in the CAF champions’ league and with the chances of retaining the league championship hanging by a thread, the Orange FA cup was their only hope to play the African club competition next year, but rookies Matebele FC ended their dreams with a shock defeat during a penalty shoot-out.
Following the draw of the ‘allinclusive’ Orange FA cup yesterday, the Kgatleng rookies, Matebele FC, who have assumed the role of giant killers, will once again be hoping to perform a miracle after being drawn against the newly crowned Botswana Football League (BFL) Champions, Gaborone United.
Speaking to Sun-Sport during a sideline interview, Moreetsi Kediseng, Matebele FC chairman said they are more than ready to cause another upset.
“We accept the draw, we welcome the challenge; we are no strangers to eliminating champions, people forget we also eliminated Tafic who have won this competition before. We are facing Gaborone United and they are the current champions but we are ready, we are ready to fight until our last breath,” Kediseng shared.
“We are very-very confident, I have trust in our boys, I have trust in our technical team, it will be a game like any other and the bigger team will rise to the occasion on the day,” Matebele Chairman added.
He further added that their performance to the semi-finals have been impressive, noting that it is an achievement they should be proud of.
The young Matebele FC chairman also extended his appreciation to the tournament organizers and implored other lower division sides to have confidence to be successful in the competition.
“To be in the Orange FA cup semi-finals, by our own standards, we are already winners. Remember we are here as regional champions, not a team from First Division, and to be here, coming from the region and find ourselves in the semi-finals is a huge achievement; we celebrate it and are winners already.
We saw Masitaoka reach the finals last year and we hope we will emulate what they did and inspire other small teams that it is possible,” he concluded.
Gaborone United are expected to halt their celebrations and complete a season double, an objective set-out to the technical team at the beginning of the season by the team’s top management although they first would have to battle and conquer Matebele FC.
“They are equally a good side, for them to be here it means they are a strong side; they deserve our respect, we take them seriously and we will treat them as such. Our ambition is the same, we have made it clear that we will go for any available competition this season, our intensions is to win Orange FA Cup. Gaborone United team manager, Owe Mmolawa shared.
He added that Gaborone United will also be looking to make history by defending the cup since its return; Orapa United were the inaugural winners of the competition and were dethroned by the Money Machine who are currently the holders of the trophy.
The other draw of the Orange FA Cup will see Premier League sides, Security Systems and BDF XI will battle it out to advance to the finals of the tournament.
The semi-finals are scheduled to take place on the 11th of June, with the final set to be played a week later on the 18th and all the games to be played at the Botswana National Stadium.