21 Feb 2013

The second edition of the Mascom Top 8 tournament starts this weekend with eight football giants squaring off at the Molepolole Sports Complex in two-legged quarter-final ties.

Mascom Top 8 is a lucrative cup competition in the country by prize-money and features the top eight finishers from last season’s be Mobile Premier League. The competition’s winner will walk away with P1 million.

A potentially explosive clash between Gaborone United and Nico United will get the competition going at Molepolole Sports Complex on Saturday at 3 pm. GU have built a formidable squad and are currently riding high in the premier league, where they remain unbeaten since the 2012/13 season commenced.

After winning the Coca Cola Cup last year, a strong feeling persisted among supporters that GU’s glory days are returning. The team will be aiming to go all the way in the Mascom Top 8 and repay the huge investment club director, Nicholas Zakhem has made at the club.

However, Nico have emerged as a force in local football.

Their lofty third place in the standings is clear indication of how far the team has grown and they will provide great resistance to any threat GU will provide.

In the second match of a double-header, inaugural tournament winners, Township Rollers welcome Ecco City Greens at 7pm. Rollers defeated Ecco 3-1 in the final last year and they will be targeting to defend their crown.

Another double-header will be played on Sunday at the Molepolole Sports Complex where BMC will welcome BDF XI at 3pm, while Mochudi Centre Chiefs take on competition debutants, Mogoditshane Fighters.

Fighters last week secured a P750 000 three year sponsorship deal with Letshego Financial Services which will certainly be motivating factor for the players on Sunday.

The winners of the ties over two legs will advance to a two-legged semi-final. Teams that get eliminated in the semi-final stage will get P125 000, semi-finalists P200 000 while the runners-up will settle for P400 000. Ends