Kgalema lenyatso Piro!
Sport
A song for one of the most successful captains in the country
It is the afternoon of one of the weekends of November and Week 11 of 2006/07 Mascom Premier League is in full swing. In the 83rd minute of this classic fixture between Mochudi Centre Chiefs and Township Rollers, Chiefs winger Pontsho Moloi performs wizardry that would determine the result of the game and embody the spirit of the revolutionary Kgatleng side and would transform local football.
‘Piro’ received a pass from Elijah Montsho on the right flank, drove towards Rollers left back Lolo Mosojane. The veteran Rollers defender was left on the ground while Moloi now faced central defender Barry Hangunyu who is also left eating grass while the winger put the ball past hapless Rollers goalkeeper Lesego Moeng. Chiefs go on to win the game by 2-1.
Since that encounter a lot was said of Moloi. Magosi supporters composed a song; Kgalema Lenyatso Piro, the chanting of the song was memorable and this was because in a way, Moloi had ended Rollers’s reign. He had helped Magosi bring down long time rivals in the game. Piro, like other football greats such as David Beckham, in a similar manner displayed a wizardry trademark which football lovers would tag the ‘PM turn’. It was at this moment that the black and white side resurged, with Moloi as the conductor.
Through his incredible footwork and thinking, Moloi was a modern winger who could attack with venom slicing defenders, scoring goals and creating assists causing his teammates to bring out their best for the team. “He was one of the skillful wingers that would keep you in your toes for the entire game and if you were to face him you had to be ready both physically and mentally,” ex Rollers and national team defender Seabo “Seabee” Gabanakgosi said.
Pontsho “Piro, Master-Twitter” Moloi was born on the 28th of November 1981 in Gaborone at the notorious location of extension 27. He started his football at a development team called Masa-Masa at Primary level. He then left to Young Strikers in the Junior category where he won the Chappies little league, before joining Notwane in 1999 where he was promoted to the senior team two years later at the age of 19. In 2006, after seven years with the player, Notwane lost one of their prized assets to Chiefs, and the disbelief was that he was signed for free; this move became a talk of the town for the better part of the transfer window more so it was the biggest move in the local football scene by then.
“That was so emotional because that’s where I cut my first teeth and it (Notwane) exposed me to a lot of things,” Moloi said, “but I had to move on and look for better pastures and Chiefs offered me that.”
In 2010 Moloi was signed by South African side Bay United for a season, and again before leaving Notwane he enjoyed some short stint at Cyprus. In his illustrious football career, Moloi featured in all the national development sides and also became part of the historic 2012 AFCON qualifying squad.
When he left Notwane, part of the debate was his attitude towards the game. Piro was accused of indiscipline in the field of play but ever since joining Chiefs he has been a different player.
“I was still a youngster by then, but as you grow you notice that at some point you were wrong,” PM 7, as the player was fondly called said.
One of the games that would always remain in many people’s memory was the 2005/06 season encounter between Notwane and Naughty Boys, when Piro received marching orders after he overreacted following his younger brother Dirang being given a red-card. However at Chiefs he found the likes of the then captain Noah “Stooge” Kareng who molded him.
Nowadays Pontsho is a true role model.
“I have always looked up to him and I am so excited to be with him on the same team, he is always there to give me some advices,” Chiefs wonder-kid, Ayanda Molefe could say about the legendary captain.
Chiefs under the armband of Moloi bagged five league titles and one FA cup honours which had previously eluded the club.
“His contribution was immeasurable, he helped us win the league and FA cup, you must remember that these trophies have eluded us but in the presence of him we defied the odds,” chiefs spokesperson Clifford Mogomotsi told Weekendsport.
Piro’s first achievement was winning the golden boot in his maiden season after scoring 22 goals before helping Magosi win their first ever league honour in 2007/08 in undefeated fashion, again in the same season, he helped the team win the FA cup. The following season they finished second best after GU narrowly beat them to win the trophy in photo-finish style.
Other titles were in 2011/12, 2012/13, 2014/15 and the just ended 2015/16 season.
“Piro is one of the boys that grew before me and we went through a lot. I remember one day I substituted him in less than 10 minutes in Lobatse, he cried such that after the game he told his mother how I didn’t treat him well but I explained to the mother that I wanted the best out of the boy, so when I look back and see where we are now and look at his achievements as well, I can only smile,” former Notwane captain Fabian Zulu remembered.
Moloi has been a true legend for football not only for Chiefs. “It has been a long journey and with the support from the Chiefs family I have been able to reach my destiny,” Moloi said after the game against Galaxy with the famous Kgalema Lenyatso Piro hit on the background.
“We will meet as the board and see how best to assist him either as team manager or one of the administration portfolios,” Mogomotsi said.
Ever since joining the Kgatleng side, a decade ago Chiefs has been the most consistent team in the league and putting the then dominant Gaborone sides; Rollers and GU under pressure. The song Kgalema Lenyatso Piro will long live, he instilled discipline to both teams and ensured that Magosi got the respect only befitting kings.
Sport
It’s do or die for Zebras
The senior national team, the Zebras, is currently in Equatorial Guinea to for an African Cup of Nations Qualifiers tie. Before they departed, the team’s coach, Mogomotsi Mpote, had his troops train in Morocco. This was through the agreement between the two countries.
The agreement between the BFA and the Fédération Moroccan Football Association states that the two nations will work together to organize friendly matches between their respective national teams. It also allows the establishment of football camps for the youth categories (U-15, U-17, and U-20), this includes women’s national teams.
The national team has played over 180 minutes in its two qualifying matches against Tunisia and Libya. Currently, the Zebras, Lesotho and Liberia are the only teams that haven’t scored yet in the competition (this is correct by press time on Friday).
Before the match against Equatorial Guinea match, the local boys who were once known as the whipping boys of Africa in the early 2000s, were languishing at the bottom of the log standings in group J. They lost their first match away to Libya on June 1, 2022. However, they managed to salvage a point against Tunisia last year.
Before the team left for Equatorial Guinea, coach Mpote urged his players to focus on keeping their hopes of making a return trip to the AFCON finals alive after an 11 year absence since the maiden appearance in 2012. He noted that they would not allow their opponents to score and would ensure that they would get a draw.
Despite the various changes that have occurred in the two countries’ football landscape, the two teams have only met once before. In 2010, the local boys defeated the Equatorial Guinea team in a friendly match, which ended in an emphatic win for the visitors. Since then, the two sides have realised different fortunes in FIFA rankings, with Equatorial Guinea ranked 51 places above the Zebras.
Meanwhile, in their last six games, Guinea has only managed to win one of them. They drew with Rwanda and Togo in September 2022 friendlies. They have found the back of the net just twice in their six games. On the other hand, the Zebras, won one match against Zambia and lost four on their way to finishing at the bottom of the group with four points. At the conclusion of their previous AFCON campaign, the local boys traveled to Zambia and secured a draw.
MPOTE CONFIDENT
Despite the recent results of the Guinean team, which have only managed to draw with Rwanda and Togo in their last six matches, coach Mpote is still confident that his team will perform well against the hosts.
According to the head coach, the local boys have the necessary skills and resources to perform well against any country. He noted that the team’s coaches have been studying abroad to gain a deeper understanding of the various aspects of football.
“Tactically they should also be ready. We need your (Botswana fans) usual support, when we come back from Equatorial Guinea, we will go to Francistown, and we will need you. You are our 12th player, and you are very important to us.”
OBED ITANI CHILUME STADIUM CERTIFIED
This week, the Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) Tuelo Serufho revealed that the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium will host the return leg of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between the local boys and Equatorial Guinea. The venue had initially failed an inspection test conducted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). However, following the completion of the necessary works, the stadium was allowed to host the match.
According to BNSC Chief, Tuelo Serufho, the various requirements that the stadium must meet included having a designated parking area for the media and spectators, as well as having signage that will guide the spectators. He also noted that the venue now has a world-class media area.
Sport
Jagdish Shah rejects Rollers society
Township Rollers, one of the country’s most decorated football clubs with 15 premier league titles, is finding itself in a precarious situation as its long-term chief financier, Jagdish Shah, threatens to dump them if the society does not bow down to his demand of forfeiting their 20 percent interest in the company.
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Sport
Orange injects P350 000 into Phikwe marathon
Mobile network Orange Botswana is committed to supporting the development of local sport. Through its sponsorship, the company will be able to promote and market the sport. According to Maano Masisi, the company believes that sport can unite people from different backgrounds.
He stated that through the sponsorship of the marathon, the company will help promote healthy lifestyles and unity among the people of Selebi Phikwe.
The Selebi Phikwe Marathon is scheduled to take place on July 29, 2023. It is expected that it will attract international, regional, and social runners. A total of P216 000 has been allocated for the prize money for the first ten places in the 42.2 km race. For the 15km and 10km races, the LOC will give away prizes to the first five places.