03 Mar 2017

An 88th minute Terrance Mandaza penalty secured Township Rollers a hard fought 1-0 win over city rivals Gaborone United in a mildly entertaining league match at the National Stadium on March 1 night.

With fellow title contenders Jwaneng Galaxy having dropped two points in their 0-0 draw with Gilport Lions on the night, the win takes Popa to the summit of the BTC premiership log, with a game in hand over second placed Galaxy.

GU, founded in 1967, will this year commemorate 50 years as a club, and with it half a century of Gaborone derby clashes against blood rivals Rollers.

But their proud club elders will sneer at the fact that their team has won only one match of their 2017 calender year; a 3-0 win over Sankoyo Bush Bucks last January 15.

Rollers also entered the match on the back of a two week slump which saw them knocked out the CAF Champions League in the preliminary stage by Madagascar side CNaPS Sport, and bundled out of the Mascom Top 8 by no less a foe than Orapa United’s Madinda Ndlovu.

With Rollers coach Mogomotsi ‘Teenage’ Mpote and his GU counterpart Rodolfo Zapata entering the National Stadium cauldron as the month of March commenced, a sense of déjà vu could have engulfed them had they been ardent readers of Shakespearean tragedy.

In William Shakespeare's tragedy, 'Julius Caesar' Roman dictator in perpetuity Julius Caesar was warned that his demise would come midway through the month of March, when a soothsayer uttered the words immortalized by Shakespeare; “beware the Ides of March.” It would be Mpote delivering the scalp of the old enemy; leaving Zapata to pace frenetically post-match, seeking answers for a season going awry, and wondering whether the month of March would call time on his tenure with the Reds.

His GU side played good possession football in the first half, but Rollers remained compact. Despite having a lot of the ball, the Reds only troubled Popa goal minder Kabelo Dambe in the 57th minute, a well-taken Karabo Phiri free kick fisted over for a corner by Dambe. Rollers used their possession positively, a stunning half volley forced GU goalkeeper Goitseone Phoko into a save in the 19th minute.

Man of the Match Phoko was frequently tested by Rollers forwards but stood his guard. Phoko looked beaten in the 73rd minute when a Simisani Mathumo header seemed to be flying into goal, only for the ball  TO the crossbar. GU centre back Godwin Bonsu was his solid self, until being substituted injured late in the match, replaced by Thabiso Khunwane.

The game looked to be headed for a draw when GU defender Tshepo Maikano handled the ball to which referee Tshepo Gobagoba pointed to the spotkick. Terrance Mandaza, who had come in as an 83rd minute substitute for Lemponye Tshireletso stepped up to make it 1-0 to Rollers with two minutes to spare on the clock.

It was enough to deliver victory for the Blue half of Gaborone. In other midweek results, third placed Orapa lost 1-0 to Security Systems- Mcini Sibanda scoring against his former employers. Resurgent Mochudi Centre Chiefs defeated Green Lovers 5-1, Police XI and Mahalapye Hotspurs drew 1-1, while Miscellaneous managed a 2-1 win over BDF XI. ENDS