BPL reaches all-time low of local strikers
Sport
The opening 12 games of the Botswana Premier League fixtures marked an all-time low in terms of the number of home grown strikers beginning games at the start of a season. There is a painful realisation that foreign strikers have been dominating the Premier League’s scoring charts, highlighting the falling number of home-grown talent in the top flight.
Apart from Jomo Moatlhaping, Joel Mogorosi and Kekaetswe Moloi, who have won the Golden Boot award in recent times, the statistics have proven to all and sundry that domestic strikers are given second priority by local teams. This has left the Botswana Premier League trailing other neighbouring leagues when it comes to showcasing indigenous talent and, it is argued, has impacted on the fortunes of national teams at all levels.
Former national team coach Stanley Tshosane, the only local coach to have taken the Zebras to AFCON finals after facing tough battles, was always alarmed that since the 2010 seasons, foreign strikers were always making the top three on the scoring charts.
There is, of course, some relevance in Tshosane’s observation that local talent is scarce and attacking football in this country can never be attained at national level. Since 2009 to 2014, one or two foreign strikers scored the highest number of goals.
The 2009-10 season that was ruthlessly won by Rahman Gumbo’s Township Rollers, saw three foreign strikers steal the show. Zimbabwean-born striker Terrence Mandaza became the ultimate winner of the Golden Boot, hitting the net 31 times.
Zambia’s Mokuka Musonda was second with 20 goals. The striker was plying his trade at Mochudi Centre Chiefs. In third position was Farasai Nyamunowendo of Uniao Flamego Santos. He netted 19 goals, and there was no local striker in sight. He, too, is a Zimbabwean-born striker.
There was, however, a ray of hope in the 2010-11 season as local strikers seemed to gain grounds and entered the fray. Moemedi ‘Jomo’ Moatlhaping, playing for Centre Chiefs, became the leading goal- scorer with 30 goals, a goal behind Mandaza as compared to the previous season. He was followed by Sekhana Koko with 22. Tendai Ndoro, another Zimbabwean marksman, followed with 21 goals.
When Chiefs won the league under the tutelage of Madinda Ndlovu in 2011-12, two local strikers finished as joint top goal-scorers. It was a first in many memorable years. Mara Moloi and Joel Mogorosi, both from Centre Chiefs, rolled on ‘Joel- Mara-thon’ until the end. Both ended with 26 goals. But, again it was not all too smooth sailing for them, as another foreigner – Master Masitara – was breathing heavily on their necks, finishing second with 20 goals. Koko finished third with 15 goals, appearing for the second consecutive time on the scoring charts.
It is, however, noted that both Joel Mogorosi and Sekhana Koko are not outright strikers and their prowess has never come handy at the national team.
However, another distant ray of hope came in the 2012-13 season. It was a time when Chiefs successfully defended their titles and again their striker Mara Moloi similarly defended his crown. He found the net 23 times, and Bonolo Fraizer was runner-up with 17 while Galabgwe Moyana had 14 goals.
If ever there were any doubts the 2013-14 season ended all speculation as no local striker made to the top three. This became a bitter pill for the domestic game, as the goal-scoring drought affected the Zebras who managed to score only a single goal in the past AFCON qualifiers. The pack was led by Patrick Kaunda with 20 goals, Sageby Sandaka with 16 goals, while Topo Piet, who is not a born-striker, came third with 15 goals.
The trend is on-going. In this campaign, Zimbabwean-born striker Sageby Sandaka is at the helm with seven goals together with Jerome Louis. Lovers Mofokeng, another foreigner, is on the spot with six goals. Also in the race with six goals, is Manqoba Ngwenya, a cold revelation that local produced strikers are far off the mark.
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.