Top 8 showdown begins
Sport
The prospect of an all Gaborone or Debswana powered team final next month remains alive after the Mascom Top 8 draw for this year's semi-final was made earlier this week.
With all these cross town rivals kept apart when the draw for the last four was conducted, the Mascom Top 8 final showpiece could just as easily feature yet another derby. Last year's beaten finalists Orapa United, who have already secured the cup once, take on resurrecting Gaborone giant, Gaborone United.
In the other match, Jwaneng Galaxy takes on run away log leaders Township Rollers, as representatives of Botswana's current dominant footballing powers go head-to-head. Remarkably, the four semi-finalists boast a total of 5 Mascom top 8 titles between them. GU led the way with two victories, although their last success dates back to 2015 under the tutelage of Zimbabwean gaffer Rahman Gumbo.
Their arch-rivals Township Rollers and both Orapa United and Jwaneng Galaxy- a combination of three, each team having won it once. Rollers are the only team to have reached many finals- a record of 4 times. The semi-final however has no piquancy added in that all the coaches of the four clubs are looking to win the title for the first time. But, Rollers coach Nikola Kavasovic will want to join Madinda Ndlovu, Mike Sithole and Rahman Gumbo to reach the final in their first season.
He will no doubt also be hoping that Orapa United go through to the final showdown, as a fitting way to close the curtain on the abandoned war between his team Rollers and Orapa United. On one side GU, having comprehensively dispatched Extension Gunners in the last round, although without home disadvantage first but are unlikely to find the Orapa United defence as porous as the Peleng side, who shipped six goals scoring twice over the two legs.
Rollers, in their sixth straight semi-final in six years, showed just how reliant they are on the country Ever impressive talent Edwin Moalosi in their hard-fought quarter-final triumph over BDF XI, who failed to score for the first time in as many years of trying for the cup.
Interestingly all the four teams have tasted victory of the tournament. Gaborone United, should they proceed to the finals, will be looking to widen the gap between them and fellow competitors. On the other hand, the trio of Rollers, Galaxy and Orapa United will want to equal GU’s Top 8 record. The games are expected to be played on the last week of January with venues still a subject of discussion.
Top 8 statistics
2- Most victories: Gaborone United
4-Most finalists: Township Rollers
6- Most semi finals: Township Rollers
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