12 Feb 2015

In one of the most decisive matches at the bottom of the be Mobile Premier League log, FC Satmos will host Ecco City Greens at Selebi Phikwe Stadium on Valentine’s Day at 4.00pm.

Both teams from the northern part of the country would lock horns in an encounter that could see the loser sink deeper into the relegation zone. It will be a do or die as the teams which both lost their previous match would be looking forward to making a comeback.

Ecco will travel to the copper mine town with nothing but a win in their minds after a couple of promising results few weeks back.

The Francistown outfit who are the last standing giants from the country’s second city have not had the best season thus far and are on the brink of following the same route as other fallen giants from Francistown like Tafic and Tasc among others.

The team; which can blame Botswana Meat Commission’s sponsorship pull out as the contributor to their series of poor results did however manage to sign a few players in the just ended transfer window. In this important away match against Satmos, their gaffer will be aiming to test few combinations which can work out for the team.

ECCO also have experienced players in their scoring department therefore Satmos should be on the lookout. ECCO know that they should go for nothing but a win and keeping a clean sheet will also be on the cards for a side which has been on the receiving end.

Though a win will not guarantee them a place out of the relegation zone, ECCO City Greens which became the first northern side to win the league in 2007, know very well that their journey out of the dreaded place begins now.

For last season’s newcomers, Satmos, the game will be very important for them as well because they are yet to replicate their form from the previous season. Currently lying on the 13th spot with 17 points, they know that their mission is nothing but to survive relegation.

They survived relegation upon the first season into the elite league and they did not only do that but they performed impressively by finishing on the 6th spot.

Though they lost their goal talisman Patrick Kaunda who emerged as last season’s top goal scorer by bagging a total of 20 goals with them, Satmos can still opt for other strikers who can pull off the same job given the right motivation.

Satmos would ideally like to have been in a more secure position at this stage of the competition but results haven’t been coming out as they lost their previous match 1-0 at the hands of their town rivals, Nico United.

They have been conceding a lot of goals and they need to patch at the back before their ship sinks. With the absence of top class players at their disposal, it will be the less experienced players who might cause more of a headache on the ECCO side.

The team, which recently introduced Kenneth Mogae as their new coach can only hope for the gaffer to turn things around for the Phikwe outfit.

For both teams, tomorrow’s match will be a crucial match because the two teams are in the same situation and it will be all up to them to rescue themselves out of this one. Though there is not much rich history between the two teams, their differences can take a logical dimension. With everything at stake in this match, hopefully a rivalry will be invented in 90 minutes of play and perhaps reach new extremes.

In other games,  at 7.00 pm on Friday, February 13 league leaders, Mochudi Centre Chiefs will travel to Serowe Sports Complex to tackle BR highlanders.

Other games on Valentine’s Day, Motlakase will host BMC at Serowe Sports Complex at 4.00pm. Sankoyo Bush Bucks will take on Extension Gunners in their own den at Maun Sports Complex at 3.45pm. Fifth placed Gaborone United will travel to Molepolole to face Phikwe giants Nico United at 3.45pm.

On Sunday, the only game of the day will see Orapa United host Police XI at Itekeng Stadium at 7.00pm . ENDS