25 Jan 2018

Township Rollers coach Nikola Kavazovic has bemoaned the fact that they will be without experienced strikers in their semifinal first leg clash with Mascom Top 8 defending champions Jwaneng Galaxy.

The first leg will be played at Lobatse Sports Complex on Sunday at 4pm.

Two time champions Gaborone United clashes with 2016 winners Orapa United in the other semifinal today at Itekeng Stadium at 515 pm.

Kavazovic said Rollers, which won this competition for the first and last time in 2012, were short of options upfront and will have to find a way past a dangerous Galaxy side without key strikers Mthokozisi Msomi and Joel Mogorosi. 

The duo were sent off for fighting during an ill-tempered midweek draw against Tafic at the University of Botswana Stadium.

“We are out of strikers for the Galaxy game, probably for both games the first and second leg, we don’t have strikers. We have just two strikers that is Mogorosi and Msomi and I must find some solution and I will do that,” Kavazovic said after the Tafic encounter.

Rollers have lost some of the momentum they enjoyed in the Serbian coach’s first eight matches in charge and dropped points in two of their last four matches, and some sections of Mapalastina faithful are starting to put pressure on the coach.

Kavazovic admitted that they were facing a difficult period: “After the last four games I am not hiding the fact that Rollers are in crisis.

We are in crisis and I have only one day tomorrow to solve the situation and to bring the team where it belongs and for beginning that is the Mascom semifinal,” he said on Tuesday.

Galaxy on the other hand have gathered momentum and will be looking to secure victory and establish an advantage ahead of the second leg.

The Galaxy of Stars have won their last five matches and will enter Lobatse Sports Complex in a confident mood.

Coach Rodolfo Zapata will be hoping that his Gaborone United troops will keep up their recent good performances and stun the Ostriches at their Itekeng Stadium fortress. Tumisang Orebonye, Thatayaone Kgamanyane and Dirang Moloi are in stunning form and will hurt the Ostriches if left unchecked by coach Bongani Mafu’s team.

Meanwhile, the Botswana Premier League has suspended, pending disciplinary hearing, Msomi, Mogorosi and Tafic defender Samuel Phiri and coach Rapelang Tsatsilebe with immediate effect from all BFA activities for their roles in the mass brawl that occurred during the Rollers and Tafic encounter on Tuesday. Ends