• 

13 Mar 2023

Botswana senior national team, The Zebras left for Morocco yesterday for a training camp ahead of their AFCON qualifier against Equatorial Guinea at Malabo on March 24.  

The return leg is scheduled for Obed Itani Chilume Stadium on March 28.

Zebras are bottom of Group J after a loss and a draw in their two games while Tunisia leads the group with four points from as many games, followed by Equatorial Guinea and Libya with three points each.  

This therefore means Group J is still open, and Zebras players are cognisant of the fact that they can still pull a surprise in the group.

Zebras’ vice captain, Thato Kebuwe said, in an interview, that the Morocco training camp ahead of a crucial clash would help them to fully prepare for the Equatorial Guinea clash.

He said being at the bottom of the log standing did not mean they were out.

“We are going to Malabo to fight for the name of our country. To be honest the group is still open, we just need to be focused and execute our game plan, force a draw or a win there, back home it is undebatable we have to win, by hook or crook,” he said.

Onkabetse Makgantai said people should rule them out at their own peril. He said as players they were determined to redeem the name of their country. The current crop of players, he said were drooling to qualify for AFCON, given that Botswana had only made its maiden appearance in 2012.

“If you look at the log leaders, Tunisia they have four points, number two and three have three points each, and we have a point. If you look at the group properly we still have a chance,” he said.

Makgantai therefore said it would be imperative for them as players to work very hard in their Morocco training camp.

Mosha Gaolaolwe said their training camp in Morocco was what the doctor had prescribed for the Zebras.

He said they would have ample time to prepare and come up with good strategies to deal with their opponents.

He said their mission in Malabo would be to draw or win, as that would act as a motivator to the players for them to come and finish off their opponents in the return leg.

Zebras coach Teenage Mpote said they were going to Morocco for training camp as well as team-building.

“We have 10 days to hone our skill as a team, spending five days in Morocco and five days in Malabo, so it is a good development. He however said some of the foreign-based players were yet to join the camp, as they were still engaged at their respective clubs.

Mpote confidently said they are going to hold their opponents to a draw and finish the game back home. Ends