27 Nov 2018

Despite starting the 2018/19 BTC Premiership campaign on a wrong foot, 2016 Mascom Top 8 winners, Jwaneng Galaxy Football Club, beat stubborn Sharps Shooting Stars 2-0 during the eighth season of the coveted cup tournament in Jwaneng recently.

Galaxy midfielder, Olebogeng Malebye, who  came on as a substitute, broke the ice on the 37^th minute with a crafty goal after receiving a pass from plucky striker Patrick Kaunda.

Kaunda made it 2-0 in the last five minutes of regulation time and prodded the ball home from an indecisive defender Tebogo Benjamin after a communication breakdown in the defense.

Malebye said in an interview after the clash that the team’s motivation was to bring the cup to Jwaneng again this season.

Malebye said they had put the fact that the club had not been doing well in the current BTC Premiership season behind them and focused on the prize ahead.

He said they wanted to give their all and turn things around at the club.

Malebye, who masterminded most of the Galaxy wins in the past few seasons, was brought on after Wilfred Dithwane who seemed poised to keep opponents on toes, picked an injury.

Coach Miguel Da Costa had also nailed his colours to the mast by enlisting the services of offensive midfielder Gilbert Baruti, hard tackling Lebogang Ditsile and hardworking Isaac Paeye who were not available for selection in the last couple of games and Malebye added salt to injury.

Da Costa said he came with an all or nothing mindset adding he was pleased that his boys did not concede a goal thus far.

He said planning for the clash was easy given that the two teams recently played to a draw.

He said his plan was to be cautious, focus and avoid getting carried away by the win because they still had another 90 minutes to play.

He said they wanted to score again during the away game and not allow the opponents to recover.

He said scoring an away goal in the competition was very crucial.

As for his choice of captain for the match, Lebogang Ditsile, Da Costa said the player had exhibited strength of character after coming back from suspension.

He said he was inspired by the fact that the player was already back ‘on the ball’ after suspension, which he described as what champion were made of.

Likewise, he said the aim was to defend the cup, but would take one game at a time.

Although they lost, Sharps coach Kentse Motlhale was happy that his boys played according to plan save for what he described as a few silly mistakes at the back.

Be that as it may, he said the loss has taught him to trust all his players rather than relying on a select few.

He said his charges struggled without some key players who were on national duty.

Meanwhile Sharps played entertaining football on their own especially in the second half but never quite threatened Galaxy shot stopper Ezekiel Morake.

The introduction of Allen Ndodole for Thabo Metlhayotlhe however created fluidity but the damage was already done.

Galaxy midfielder Atisang Batsi receiving the only card of the match while Ditsile scooped man of the P4 000 worth of man of the match award. ENDS