07 Mar 2019

Hordes of football supporters are expected to fill the Francistown Sports Complex tomorrow as the eagerly anticipated Mascom Top 8 final clash takes place.

Gaborone United, led by Phillimon Makhwengwe, and Jwaneng Galaxy, led by Miguel Da Costa, will battle it out for the coveted trophy and P1.3 million prize money.

Galaxy reached the finals after beating BDF X1 3-1 on aggregate while Gaborone United shocked Township Rollers by booting them out of the competition in a 10-9 penalty shoot-out spectacle.

Makhwengwe, who has vowed to bring back the glory days to the GU soccer family, will be hoping to win the cup and become the second Motswana coach to do so after Major David Bright won it with Moyagoleele during the 2012/13 championship final.

Other than that, the cup had been previously won by six foreign coaches.

For the past three years, the cup has eluded GU as they were knocked out in the semi-finals of the tournament.

“Galaxy should expect a fierce battle in Francistown,” the GU coach said at a press conference, adding that all the players were looking forward to the game.

With the likes of Obonwe Maome, Dirang Moloi and Thatayaone Kgamanyane in top form, the Money Machine will be a formidable force for the diamond mining soccer club.

Moyagolele, as GU is popularly known, need the cup badly as they want to increase their Mascom Top 8 honours to three, having won it first in the 2012/13 and 2014/15 respectively.

Equally for Da Costa, he will be looking to increase Galaxy’s Mascom Top 8 honours to two and equal GU.

Throughout the tournament, Galaxy had been a formidable side having conceded only one goal in four games prior to the final. The Jwaneng side beat Sharps Shooting Stars 2-0 on aggregate before finishing off BDF XI in the semi-finals.

With the likes of Lebogang Ditsile and Tebogo Sembowa in red hot form, Galaxy are going to Francistown not as spectators, but as a formidable force that can pull a surprise against GU. Ends