28 Feb 2017

Following the Debswana First Division North (FDN) league games over the weekend, the competition between the top four teams proves to be a dog-eat-dog situation.

With Francistown side, Tafic perched at the top and losing their encounter to BR Highlanders with a solitary goal in Mahalapye on February 25, the gap was closed to two points as Tafic still leads the log with 33 points while BR Highlanders has 31 points.

Victories by Sua Flamingoes and Motlakase Power Dynamos against FC Satmos and Morupule Wanderers respectively means now the two sides are seated on position three and four with 30 points each.

That means that the top four teams are going to fight tooth and nail in their remaining six games except Motlakase, which still has seven games left.

The stakes are very high in this Debswana FDN as the winner of the league will automatically qualify to be promoted to the BTC Premiership and to rub shoulders with the big guns in the mould of Extension Gunners, Township Rollers, Orapa United and Mochudi Centre Chiefs.

Three of these top four teams have previously tasted the top flight football, with some making fortunes out of gate takings in well attended games when they hosted the crowd pullers.

So with a few games left now to see who gets automatic promotion and eventual promotional play-offs, teams are determined to end the league at least in a photo finish.

Meanwhile, last season’s talk of the league, ECCO City Greens appears to have found their footing as they are now also challenging to be in the top four.

Mamoja Diski, under the tutelage of Texan Phiri overcame a stubborn and resolute Tasc or Tango Boys as their fans affectionately call them on Sunday afternoon when they emerged victorious by 4-3.

The game was for Tasc to win as they proved too good for ECCO, but they failed to use their dominance with skillful player Oratile ‘Shumba’ Taunyane terrorizing his opponents’ defence.

ECCO was the first to draw blood on the 18th minute with a brilliant header by captain and enterprising Onkemetse ‘Manando’ Powe, beating Kutlo Motshwaedi in the Tasc posts hands down.

Soon, Tasc equalised on the 21st minute through the evergreen Taunyane when he received a beautiful cross from the right flank by Otsile Pritchard and beating Boitumelo Semaatla easily

On the 35th minute, Ecco won a penalty when Oarabile Powe was brought down inside the box by defender Bonang Motogo and striker Gift Nelson stepped up to make it 2-1.

Tasc were not going to stand by and watch Ecco do as it pleases and then replied on the 43rd minute just before recession when Baone Hubona scored one of the simplest goals of the day, stealing a tame pass from Semaatla to make it 2-2.

In the second half, Tasc’s Tshoganetso Bulowe was given an early shower by the referee on the 55th minute for a professional foul, bringing down Oarabile Powe with only the goalkeeper to beat but Ecco failed to utilise the resulting free-kick.

Hubona got his brace on the 73rd minute when he shocked Ecco defence, beating them to a cross and shooting the ball into an empty net with Semaatla confused with his defence’s lackadaisical approach.

But Ecco’s captain, Onkemetse Powe replied quickly on the 78th minute to make it three all and brought the few supporters to their feet after the Tasc shock.

On the 82nd minute, a great ball from Walter Moyo was floated into the Tasc 18 yard area and found Pontsho Sephutho, who calmly brought the ball down, rounded Motshwaedi in Tasc goal posts and netted the winner making it 4-3.

ECCO are on position six with 23 points, while Tasc are second from the bottom with seven points in this dog-eat-dog fascinating league. ENDS