07 Aug 2018

Orapa United have qualified for the BTC Charity Cup with the highest number of 37 472 votes and will meet Township Rollers in the semi-final on Saturday.

The one day competition will be played at the National Stadium.

Gaborone United will kick-off the competition with a clash against Mochudi Centre Chiefs in the first semi-final in the morning.

The voting results announced on Monday in Gaborone indicated that league champions Township Rollers finished in second position with 36 309 votes, followed by GU with 34 979 and Centre Chiefs with 31 402.

Extension Gunners, who are one of the best supported teams in the country failed to make the cut, while Miscellaneous who led in votes for some time fell by the wayside at the last hurdle.

In total, 225 050 votes were registered for all the 16 teams which participated in the BTC Premiership last season.

Winners of the competition will pocket P300 000 and a trophy while the runner-up will pocket P200 000. Semifinal losers will get P120 000 as consolation prizes.

Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) has sponsored the competition with P3 million per season over three years.

BTC managing director, Anthony Masunga explained that 80 per cent of proceeds from ticket sales would be donated to charities targeted for football development, while 20 per cent would go to beneficiaries identified by BTC Foundation.

He urged supporters to buy tickets and fill up the National Stadium on Saturday in order to support charity.

“Through the Charity Cup, BTC and football want to further demonstrate that the game goes beyond entertaining fans in the stadiums. We want to demonstrate that it can be used for social good,” said Masunga.

Botswana Football Association (BFA) vice president Pelotshweu Motlogelwa said the association was grateful for the commitment by BTC to raise the standard of football in Botswana.

He said the charity cup initiative would have a positive impact on lives of underprivileged members of the society.Tickets for the matches are P150 for grandstand, P80 for Panda, P40 for north stand and P30 for south stand and can be purchased from Shoprite, Checkers, House and Home as well as OK Furnishers. ENDS