14 Oct 2018

Uniao Flamengo Santos beat hosts Mogoditshane Fighters 2-1 in a well contested encounter on October 13 afternoon to get their Debswana First Division South campaign off to a positive start.

The Gabane side played enterprising football with young midfielders, Goitsemodimo Zoko, Botshelo Pelokgosi, Karabo Rabasadi and Kesaobaka Ntagileng linking well with striker Lemogang Kabo to trouble the Fighters rear-guard.

They nearly took the lead in the first minute when Zoko hit the post with a well taken effort after catching the defence napping. In the 8th minute, Fighters goalkeeper Botlhe Moralo nearly gifted Santos a goal when he let a back pass trickle past him before clearing with most of the ball appearing to have crossed the goal line.

Coach Thaloba ‘Machine’ Nthaga’s vibrant young team eventually took a deserved lead in the 32nd minute when Zoko slotted into the bottom corner after collecting a clever pass from Rabasadi.

The hard-working Kabo doubled the ‘Ma-14’ lead six minutes later after receiving a defence splitting pass from Pelokgosi and beating Moralo with a low shot.

Thatayaone Pitso spurned a great opportunity to reduce the arrears a few minutes later, but the ‘Samba Boys’ duly pulled one back in first half stoppage time when midfielder Botsetswe Othusegile touched a well taken free-kick from Morapedi Kengaletswe past Santos goalkeeper Laone Baratedi.

Santos had numerous opportunities to extend the lead in the second half, but Pelokgosi fired straight at the goalkeeper after dancing past Mompati Pitlagano, while Zoko failed to convert an inviting pass from Kabo.

Kabo then shot narrowly wide after finding space inside the penalty area. Fighters applied pressure late on in search for an equaliser but were denied by solid defending from Thabo Mothibi and Tlamelo Abueng and impressive goalkeeping from Baratedi.

Nthaga said after the match that Santos was still in a rebuilding process after losing many players following relegation from the BTC Premiership last season.

“This is a very young team and I wouldn’t put them under pressure. We are still rebuilding and we would take it one game at a time and see where we finish,” he said.

Fighters’ assistance coach, Tshoganetso Malizimba blamed defensive lapses for the two goals they conceded.

In other matches, Black Peril beat newly promoted Blue Hunters 2-1 in Tlokweng while another newly promoted team, Jwaneng Fighters held Broadhurst United to a 1-1 draw at SSG.

Matebejana defeated Red Sparks 1-0 in Tlokweng while Mochudi Rovers played to a goalless draw with Black Rangers in Tsabong. ENDS