25 Apr 2016

Mahalapye Hotspurs have been promoted to the elite beMOBILE Premiership after thumping Palapye All Stars 2-0 in the Debswana First Division North game played at Serowe Sports Complex on Saturday.

Amahot, as Mahalapye Hotspurs’ supporters affectionately called them, became champions with a total of 45 points. On one hand, Ecco City Greens also beat Kazungula Young Fighters 1-0 to book a place in the promotional play-offs with 42 points.

Amahot will now rub shoulders with the big boys after a long absence, which however, did not seem likely when the league started.

They had to grab the leadership position in the second half of the season from Sua Flamingos who gave up the chase for the championship at a time when it really mattered, and also giving up the runner-up position to Ecco, who will be glad to try their luck at the play-offs.

Hotspurs went into the game with a win in their minds as Ecco too was chasing possible automatic promotion and a win was what they got.

Meanwhile, Ecco hosted Kazungula at the old Francistown Stadium with a few of their supporters having turned up for the game, which appeared as if they had already put their minds to rest that they would face the promotional play-offs.

The only goal of the game came in the 12^th minute when Oarabile Powe’s left footed strike left Kazungula goalkeeper, Benjamin Tickey confused.

Tickey had misjudged the shot, only to realise it was inside the net when ECCO supporters erupted in jubilation. 

Kazungula, however, put up a spirited show as their top man, Keabetswe Batunda fought the entire 90 minutes to equalise for his side, but was under the close eye of Mosimanegape Mokiya and Victor Puoeng on Ecco defence.

The hard running, nimble footed and tricky Onkemetse ‘Manando’ Powe of Mamoja Diski, as ECCO is known by its supporters, was closely watched by the likes of Kazungula captain, Johane Masule and could not do his usual magic for his side.

Ecco wasted numerous chances both in the first and second half through the likes of Lovers Mofokeng, Keiketlile Sethure and Pontsho Sephutho.

The Francistown outfit will have to dig deeper when they go for the play-offs in order to give a present to the Francistown football lovers who want to see one of their own in the beMOBILE Premiership in the 2016/17 season.

Meanwhile, Kazungula, who started the season in a buoyant mode, leading the league for a few games before surrendering pole position, would count their losses and go into the new season with the belief that they too can get a chance to be promoted to top flight football. ENDS