27 Nov 2017

Township Rollers seems to have one foot on the Mascom Top 8 semifinals show down as they defeated a resilient BDF XI with a 2-0 score line on Saturday (November 25).

Two second half goals from Jerome Ramatlhakwane and Lemponye Tshireletso ensured that Popa will take a healthy two away goals lead into the second leg of the fixture and the writing could already be on the wall for a semifinal show piece for Popa.

In a game played on a slippery pitch following some torrential rain earlier on the day, BDF XI looked on course for an upset as they put up a brave fight in the first half, but Popa’s class and character proved to be a little bit too much for Letang Kgengwenyane’s troops as they cracked under pressure and committed elementary mistakes that gave Rollers full control of the game.

Ramatlhakwane drew the first blood in the 55th minute with a scorcher of a goal that left Michael James rooted to his goal line and Popa’s advantage was later doubled as Edwin Moalosi produced an eye of a niggle pass to pick up Lemponye Tshireletso, who found the back of the net with his first touch after coming in as a substitute.

No team in the history of the Mascom Top 8 has ever bounced back from a two-nil home deficit in the second leg of the fixture to proceed to the semis, as such the odds are stuck against BDF XI, if history is anything to go by.

As the usual football cliché goes, it is back to the drawing boards for BDF XI, who will have to dig deep in the second leg if they are to turn their fortunes round and make a dramatic comeback.

In his post-match comments, BDF XI head coach, Letang Kgengwenyane bemoaned his side’s lack of concentration in the second half as the key factor that lead to the game slipping away from his team.

“It was a game of two halves, we put up a solid performance in the first half to keep Rollers at bay and we were always solid and compact in the middle of the field, but the same cannot be said with our performance in the second half as our concentration elapsed drastically and we conceded two quick goals that obviously dampened our spirits,” said Kgengwenyane.

Rollers’ head coach, Nikola Kavazovic applauded his players for transforming their league form even into cup competitions. He said it was a milestone to achieve an unbeaten run even up to this far.

Scoring two goals away from home and keeping a clean sheet, he said will help calm the nerves as they go into the second leg of the fixture.

In another tightly contested Mascom Top 8 quarterfinal fixture played in Lobatse on Friday, Mochudi Centre Chiefs came from behind to upset defending champions, Jwaneng Galaxy with a 2-1 score line. BOPA