11 Feb 2018

Township Rollers on February 10  afternoon produced a scintillating performance at the National Stadium, outwitting Sudanese outfit Al-Merrikh 3-0 in a CAF Champions League preliminary round match played at the National Stadium.

Goals from Mosha Gaolaolwe, Edwin Moalosi and Segolame Boy provided the sucker punch that floored the visitors.

Al-Merrikh will without doubt be a wounded buffalo that will throw everything into getting back into the tie in the second leg scheduled for next Saturday.  But Rollers have nonetheless done themselves a huge favour.

Throughout the match, the Blues looked assured against their seasoned opponents. As the match commenced, Rollers looked to assert themselves and in the fourth minute Gaolaolwe fired the warning shot, ballooning his close range attempt wide of goal.

The tone for the rest of the game had been set.  In the 27th minute, Rollers took the lead when Moalosi played in a free kick into the penalty box where Gaolaolwe headed in from close range to make it 1-0 to the Blues.

In the middle of the park Ugandan international Ivan Ntege was exceptional in denying the visitors the space to play, with Popa captain Maano Ditshupo similarly assured.

The Blues kept pressing forward and were rewarded on the stroke of half time.  Ditshupo played a ball wide to Lemponye Tshireletso who played a long ball to Moalosi whose first touch was composed. 

Surrounded by a swarm of Al-Merrikh defenders, the Blues fan favourite still struck a low shot past the visitors goalkeeper Esam Shamila to make it 2-0 in the 44th minute.
With their backs to the wall and needing a crucial away goal, Al-Merrikh entered the second half needing to go forward but Rollers stayed tactically aware, denying their opponents the space to play the ball into attacking channels.

A Mogorosi goal attempt was cleared off the line by Al-Merrikh captain Ahmed Adallah Adam.

Second half substitute Boy, who came on for Motsholetsi Sikele in the 68th minute, proceeded to weave magic with his first touch in the 70th minute.  Boy displayed some skills on the ball before attempting to release Moalosi, who hesitated before Boy rushed into the penalty box himself, hitting a low shot past to make it 3-0 to Popa.

Rollers had a couple of more goals scoring opportunities towards the end, but the Al-Merrikh rearguard was well aware.

It ended 3-0 to Rolles, a great result for Botswana club football on a day Jwaneng Galaxy also worked hard to raise the flag, leaving the pitch in Maputo with their heads held after only narrowly losing 1-0 to Costa do Sol in a CAF Confederations Cup match.

Galaxy  know a 1-0 win at home will force extra time, and a 2-0, a similar two-goal or higher margin victory will ensure outright victory.

Rollers will be well aware of the task that awaits them in Sudan next week, but were entitled to celebrate a great win; in the words of coach Nikola Kavazovic after the match, “The second leg is going to be very difficult to play; but we will think about it from tomorrow, now we are going home to enjoy.” Ends