08 Jun 2021

Botswana senior national football coach, Adel Amrouche has called a 30-man provisional squad to camp in preparation for the COSAFA tournament slated for July 2-15 in South Africa.

The camp will be bolstered by the presence of some foreign-based players, amongst them Zambia-based Mothusi Cooper, South Africa-based Thatayaone Ditlhokwe, Mogakolodi Ngele, as well as Morocco-based duo of Tumisang Orebonye and Kabelo Seakanyeng.

Botswana Football Association (BFA) spokesperson, Tumo Mpatane said the team was already in camp and that the players had been keeping well.

He said since football had not been active, the technical team found it critical to call the players early for camp, to give it more time to work on all aspects of the game.

Mpatane said morale in the camp was high and expectations were that the players would do their best in the coming showpiece, given that they ended in the finals in the last tournament, where they were beaten 1-0 by Zambia.

To book themselves a spot in the finals the Zebras had to defeat South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in the quarterfinal 5-4 in a penalty shootout and beat Lesotho 2-1 in the semi-finals.

As a result of the foregoing, Mpatane believed the players could leave a mark, if the nation rallied behind them and the technical team.

 The provisional squad for COSAFA tournament includes:

Goalkeepers

Kabelo Dambe (Township Rollers), Goitseone Phoko (Gaborone United), Lesenya Malapela (Orapa United) Ezekiel Morake (Jwaneng Galaxy).

Defence

Thabo Leinanyane, Fortunate Thulare (Jwaneng Galaxy),Tapiwa Gadibolae (Police XI), Tshepo Maikano (Gaborone United), Osego Gaotewe (Security Systems), Simisane Mathumo (unattached),Tendai Kesekile (Masitaoka),Thatayaone Ditlhokwe (Supersport United, SA), Mothusi Johnson (Gaborone United), Onkarabile Ratanang (Township Rollers).

Midfielders

Mpho Kgomo (Police XI), Tshepo Malgas (Gaborone United), Gape Gagoangwe (Orapa United), Mosha Gaolaolwe, Kutlwelo Mpolokang, Segolame Boy (Township Rollers), Mothusi Cooper (Lusaka Dynamos, Zambia), Mogakolodi Ngele (Tshakhuma, SA), Thero Setsile (Jwaneng Galaxy), Kabelo Seakanyeng (OCK Morocco) and Kobamelo Kebaikanye(Masitaoka).

Strikers

Thatayaone Kgamanyane (Gaborone United), Tumisang Orebonye (OCK, Morocco), Kitso Mpuisang (Township Rollers) ,Onkabetse Makgantai (Orapa United) and Mbatshi Elias (Orapa United). Ends