06 Nov 2016

A beautiful BTC Premeriship game between BDF XI and Township Rollers played in Molepolole on Friday (November 4) night was nearly spoilt by rowdy fans who wanted to force their way into the stadium.

BDF XI’s 1-0 victroy over the league champions, Rollers was nearly dampened by fans who did not want to miss the two team’s action.

When the game started, a sizeable number of spectators were still outside buying tickets. BDF XI security was forced to open gates to avoid stampede as spectators shoved each other.

Some of those selling the tickets were heard blaming the league management for handing tickets on the day of the game, thereby making it difficult for teams to market and distribute tickets on time.

Though tickets are sold at comp ticket points, supporters still prefer to buy tickets at the stadium, resulting in commotion and stampede for those arriving late at the game.

In an interview, BDF XI PRO whose team was hosting and responsible for security at the game, said he was still to get report on what could have happened. He said it would be regrettable if his team could be a culprit on what happened.

Rollers’s spokesperson, Bafana Pheto said people who manned the gate seemed to be new as they failed the basic of alerting the match officials to delay the game so as to deal with the situation of multitudes of supporters still to enter the stadium.

“The people manning the gate should have checked with match officials to delay the game by at least 30minutes as we normally do to deal with the situation at the gate, but they failed to do that,” he said.

He said even those who had tickets were unable to get inside on time. “The other mistake they did was to sell tickets using a single point, forcing people to converge at one point resulting in commotion that ensued.

But we thank God no one was injured,” said Pheto.

On other hand he said the league should admit that people were still to embrace web ticketing and were keen to using conventional method of buying readily printed tickets.

During the game, naturally of the two it was Mapalastina who were to be hungrier for a win to prove that they were not a champ by fluke following last season board room decisions which nearly robed them (Rollers) opportunity to win the league cup. The former which has dominated BDF XI in their league encounters.

However, it was the army boys who had the last laugh when they dominated their tough opponent to set tone to their bid to title contender and this was a second league game in a row of an impressive display by Rollers to chagrin of hard to please supporters.

For BDF a 3-1 drabbing of another city giant Gaborone United last week in a cup tournament seem to have revitalised them, and could safely be said BDF XI in their season opening games promises to be a team to lookout for.

The two giants played their hearts out both displaying good football skill. They gave each other’s defence sleepless moments, but it was BDF XI through a penalty by Rogers Katjeto in 30 minute which separated the duo.

After recess though Rollers was little improved as they launched spirited attacks on their opponent, it was too late to break BDF XI who now has found formula to push back all attacks, with pacey counters to push

Rollers into their half, and put all men on defensive line to protect the one goal advantage, forcing the game to end 1-0.

Unable to match Rollers pound for pound, BDF, committed bodies on defence and counter attacked as a unit, the strategy which frustrated the opponents who despite aerial supremacy upfront failed to capitalise on long ball passes into goal area. BDF skipper’s reflex saves ensured a clean sheet and three valuable points to top BTC Premiership. ENDS