15 Nov 2016

Township Rollers coach, Mark Harrison, says he was pleased with his team’s performance when they beat Police XI 2-0 to reach the Mascom Top 8 semi-finals.

Mapalastina scored two second half goals through Lemponye Tshireletso and substitute, Edwin Moalosi, at the National Stadium on Monday night to win the two-legged tie 3-0 on aggregate having claimed a 1-0 first leg victory two weeks ago in Francistown.

Police dominated most of the match and created enough chances to level the tie in the first half but squandered them.

Uyapo Seleka shot over the posts in the 20th-minute after a neat build up involving David Makakaba and Ogomoditse Sitang, while Phenyo Molefe twice headed wide from good crosses by Tapiwa Gadibolae. 

Seleka fluffed a glitz-edged opportunity on the stroke of half-time when he failed to connect an inviting cross from Makakaba.

The Jungle Kings rued those missed opportunities three minutes after the break as Tshireletso opened the scoring from a pass by Joel Mogorosi. 

Despite seeing little of the ball compared to their opponents Rollers doubled the lead in the 73rd-minute when Moalosi struck a low shot past goalkeeper Bokamoso Moeba.

“It was always going to be a difficult game, a tight game. We were one nil up and they had to come out and chase the game, and I think they tried to force the game in the first half. They made life a bit uncomfortable for us,” Harrison said in a post-match interview.

Police XI coach Maitumelo Letlaamoreng said his team could have won the game if they had taken their chances. 

“I think the team played well. The plan was to score at least one goal in the first half. We had chances in the first half and we didn’t use them. You miss chances in a match you lose in the end. But I was happy with the work rate, we played well,” Letlaamoreng said.

Rollers joined defending champions Orapa United, BDF XI and Jwaneng Galaxy in the semi-finals. 

The semi-final draw will be conducted in January. BOPA