09 Oct 2014

All indications are that the Zebras, Botswana’s national football team, will live up to their name as they take on the Pharaohs of Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier at the National Stadium Friday night (October 10).

While the Pharaohs boast a winning pedigree after a history of success in Africa, the relatively emerging mighty Zebras will undoubtedly rely on instinct and home ground advantage to stage a possible upset. 

Coach Peter Butler’s boys are slowly but surely becoming a force to reckon with in African football and the team has proven to be a unique species with a sociable but unpredictable character.

That the game will be played under floodlights is not in doubt, and what a perfect atmosphere for the Zebras given that at night the ‘prey’ (Zebras) become illusive to predators (Pharaohs) and thus difficult to spot. 

Egypt are no strangers to the Zebras as the two teams met on numerous occasions in the past; the last being a friendly in 2013 which ended in a one-goal stalemate courtesy of Jerome Ramatlhakwana and Ahmed Hegazi. 

Previously, the two countries met in 2006 during that year’s AFCON qualifiers; and in 2008 the Pharaohs became victorious beating the Zebras one nil in the second leg played in Egypt after they were held to a goalless draw in the first leg. 

That was then and today the fortunes of the two teams seem to have turned around as they both are yet to register a victory in the AFCON 2015 campaign. 

Botswana lost 1-2 to Tunisia and 0-2 to Senegal in the first two games, while Egypt also lost two-nil and one-nil to Senegal and Tunisia respectively and sit at the bottom of Group G by virtue of a goal difference. 

This makes for a possible thrilling encounter as both teams will all be too eager to revive their chances. 

For the Zebras, they will be counting on the twelfth player (fans) to rally behind them while the Pharaohs will be playing knowing that winning against the Zebras on their own turf might just be what the doctor ordered for them. 

Taking a closer look at Butler’s camp shows that it will be without one of the key players in Mogogi ‘Gino’ Gabonamong, who is serving a suspension after he was cautioned in the games against Tunisia and Senegal. 

Butler however acknowledged that Mogogi was currently in camp training with the rest of team as he will be available in the return game against Egypt.  Another player who will not be available is Ofentse ‘Size 10’ Nato who has been suspended for what the coach termed misconduct. 

“You see I am building a team so I expect good ethics and morals,” he said without explaining further what the misconduct entailed. 

On a positive note, upfront, Joel ‘Speed Fire’ Mogorosi will, as usual, exhibit true Zebra traits when he combines speed with stamina to crack the Pharaohs’ often shaky defence. 

The coach is pleased that the Bloemfontein Celtic based speedy winger Mogorosi, who was reported to be nursing an injury, managed to train on Tuesday and was fine. 

The coach further said the moral in the camp was  high, and that all the players were looking forward to the game; he thus called upon the public to come in droves to rally behind their team. 

Peeping into the Egyptian camp, the seven-time African champions, will be without their instrumental player Ahmed Elmohamady since he is nursing an injury and the BBC also reports they will be without Al Ahly players, something the Zebras should curious about lest it is a decoy. 

The game starts at 630 p.m and tickets are already on sale at Computicket, Shoprite, Bus Station, Kgale/Game City, Molepolole, Francistown, Maun, Checkers at Airport Junction, and U-Save in Mochudi. The entry fee is P100.00 for the Grand stand, P30.00 for Panda, and P20.00 elsewhere.

Zebras squad:

Goalkeepers: Mwampole Masule (Township Rollers), Wagarre Dikago (Extension Gunners), Modiri Marumo (Polokwane City), Kabelo Dambe (Platinum Stars).

Defenders: Edwin Olerile (Gaborone United) Obonye Moswate, Obuile Ncenga, Leutwetse Tshireletso (Township Rollers), Mosha Gaolaolwe, Pelontle Lerole, Othusitse Mpharitha (BDF XI), Boitumelo Mafoko (Galaxy XI) and Gogontle Marumo (Notwane).

Midfielders: Thato Ogopotse, Bonolo Phuduhudu, Kabelo Seakanyeng (BDF XI), Lemponye Tshireletso (Mochudi Centre Chiefs), Galabgwe Moyana (unattached), Karabo Phiri (Gaborone United), Onkabetse Makgantai, Khumoetsile Kufingwa (Nico United), Segolame Boy (Township Rollers), Lebogang Ditsele (Letlapeng), Mogakolodi Ngele (Platinum Stars), Joel Mogorosi and Mogogi Gabonamong (Blomfontein Celtic).

Strikers: Jerome Ramatlhakwana (unattached), Mokgathi Mokgathi (BDF XI), and Kenanao Kgetholetsile (BMC).  ENDS