02 Jun 2016

Supporters of the national team, the Zebras in Francistown are in a jubilant mood as they await the 2017 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match between Botswana and Uganda that will be played in Francistown Sports Complex on June 4, at 4pm.

Zebras, which have turned the state of the art stadium into a slaughter house for visiting teams, looks forward to winning the game against the Cranes of Uganda to make alive their chances of qualifying for the continental cup to be held early next year.

The supporters are waiting with bated breadth for the encounter. An entrepreneur, Otukile Otukile, who is 30 years old, said he was excited the national team will be playing in the city tomorrow.

He said it is a double package for him because he wanted the team to win and also was looking forward to making business from the local supporters since he was selling merchandise of the national team colours.
Otukile said he opened a stall at the bus rank so that the supporters could spot his merchandise at a distance and give him business.

He said he started selling the Zebras colours in January after realising that the national team had been doing exceptionally well since using Francistown Sports Complex as a home ground last year.
A 73 year-old, Deblues Mokhakhisi, who is a farmer from Changate village said he would like to come and watch the game like other supporters but due to his commitments at the lands, he will opt to watch the game on television.

He said he was a longtime supporter of Zebras since back in the days when it was called Botswana XI and he would like them to win on Saturday.
Mokhakhisi encouraged Batswana to rally behind their national team and make all the necessary noise to scare the visiting Ugandans, who won the first encounter in Kampala.

Another jubilant supporter, who hails from Bluetown location and a taxi driver,  Joseph Mokwena said being a Zebras supporter in Francistown on its own was a motivation.
He said he was looking forward to an exciting game and it would be payback time since they had lost against them in the previous encounter.

Mokwena said the Zebras would use home ground advantage to the full and they were going to do all their best to whip the Cranes by a 2-0 margin.

He pinned his hopes on the ever green Township Rollers striker and Zebras captain Joel Mogorosi and the immensely talented Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Mogakolodi ‘Tsotso’ Ngele with Ofentse ‘Size 10’ Nato expected to cut all of the Cranes attacks in the middle of the park.

Mokwena encouraged Batswana to come to the stadium in large numbers so that they could outclass their opponents through their support.
He also said whether the team won, lost or drew, supporters should   always behave and avoid unbecoming behaviour, which could spell trouble for the country.

A woman taxi driver, Chedza Bulala from Marobela said she was not much into football but she is a Zebra’s supporter who wished the Peter Butler drilled boys to adopt a moderate mode because they have wonderful support in Francistown.

Vusi Mdabuli from Jackalas 1 said he expected a win and nothing else, adding the Zebras should not give Uganda any respect and avoid panicking.
He said the introduction of young fresh blood in the team would enable them to attack and score goals, this time around he expects a 2-0 score board in favour of the Zebras. Ends