10 Apr 2019

Nondi Mahlasela’s brace ensured Botswana senior women national football team advance to the next round of the Olympic Games qualifiers through a 3-2 aggregate score against Namibia in a game played at Sam Nujoma Stadium on April 9.

In the first leg, the local girls won 1-0 courtesy of Refilwe Tholakelo’s strike in a game played in Gaborone.

Botswana will now face South Africa in the race for African qualifiers of women’s Olympic Tokyo 2020.

Botswana girls came determined and started the game with a spirited fight.

It was the hosts who scored first through a free kick in the early minutes of the encounter. Lovisa Mulunga caught Botswana defenders and goalkeeper Sedilame Bosija off-guard to make it 1-0.

The goal energised the local girls who started playing with confidence and hunger and kept their opponents pinned in their own half until they equalised in the 10^th minute through a brilliant goal from Mahlasela who was a marvel to watch the entire game.

A minute before recess, Spain based Zenatha Coleman gave Namibia the lead again to make the score 2-1.

However, the goal did not demoralise the Botswana girls as they continued to attack in numbers searching for an equaliser.

The game went into half-time with the score board reading 2-1, and in the second half the tempo of the game changed as both teams looked a bit relaxed and content.

Both head coaches made substitutions which increased the tempo of the game on the Botswana side. 

Atlang Busang and Eselenna Galekhutle gave the local girls more firepower as they started to play as a unit and enjoying ball possession.

In the 60^th minute their hard work paid dividends as Mahlasela netted her second goal to level matters once more.

Botswana coach, Gaolethoo Nkutlwisang hailed her team for their sterling performance despite the tough encounter.

 She said they knew that Namibia was going to go on the attack from the first minute, but that they managed to contain them because they were well prepared. 

Nkutlwisang said they executed their game plan well as they intended to use the wings where their opponents looked strong. 

Namibian head coach, Brian Isaacs also appreciated that his team played well although they did not score more goals to secure a spot in the next round.

He gave credit to Botswana, stating that the team looked energised through the entire game. 

He said his team was better in the first half, but that in the second half they lost concentration hence Botswana managed to equalise.  

Isaacs also associated their loss to the lack of friendly international games, adding that they would have to go to the drawing board and map the way forward. ENDS