28 Nov 2018

Gaborone United (GU) are slowly cruising towards the BTC Premiership top eight after easing past Black Forest with an impressive 2-0 win at Molepolole Sports Complex on November 27.

The win follows Phillimon Makhwengwe’s troops’ crucial away win in the first leg of the Mascom Top 8 against Miscellaneous on November 24.

Forest also needed no reminder that the encounter had to be taken seriously, especially with their Mascom Top 8 First leg encounter against Township Rollers tomorrow.

From the first whistle, GU was all over their opponents, knocking at their posts in the third minute, followed by a second attempt at goal on the 15^th minute, which gave GU the lead.

Five minutes later, GU nearly punished Forest for some lethargic defending after they failed to deal with Gosegonna Molapisi’s cross, which was attacked by Oaitse at the near post with a cheeky back heel but went just inches wide of goal.

Forest had a major let off on the 25^th minute when Bauleni squandered a clear goal scoring opportunity with only the keeper to beat. 

On half hour mark, Bauleni made atonement as he set up Oaitse, who found the bottom corner to give GU a two-goal lead. Right on the stroke of half time, Oaitse missed an opportunity to bag his third of the night, ending the half with a 2-goal lead.

After half time, Forest made immediate changes at the back to try and reinforce the defence, bringing in Kerapetse Mosimanegape for Basiamisi Sebapalo.

GU also threw in Jackie Mothatego for Mgadla, who had run his socks off in the first half.  Despite GU having much ball possession, Forest looked very compact at the back as they denied their opponents any chance at goal.

Forest also made changes to try and chase the game bringing in Thobo Gaboduelwe for Maikano Maikano while Makhwengwe pulled off the two-goal hero Oaitse and introduced Karabo Setoutwe.

Forest struggled to even have a sniff at goal to the last kick of the ball with GU bagging the three crucial points.

Forest caretaker coach, Reetsang Letlole said his players did not give enough on the night.

“We gave away two cheap goals but it all goes down to rotation of players due to suspensions and injuries and with the quality we have here, it is so difficult for the players to gel well but I feel we did not give a good account of ourselves in the first half,” he said. Letlole explained that although they tried to change the formation in the second half to add more numbers upfront, they just could not create enough chances.

Makhwengwe on the other end, could not hide his delight over the win given the significance of the changes to the log standings.

“It was a game of thinking, planning and desperation. We gave them the befitting respect and you could tell from the way both teams played that nobody wanted to lose,” he said.

The former Prisons XI tactician explained that because of congested fixtures and having to juggle with Mascom Top 8, there was a need to go for a more conservative approach knowing they had another league game coming up over the weekend. 

“We are playing three games in a week, so the approach was to get goals as early as we could and hold on to the ball, the players that got tired were replaced right way to try and rest them for the weekend,” he said.

Makhwengwe said he was under a lot of pressure to try and fulfill the mandate the club had set for him. ENDS