Mares ready for COSAFA Cup
Kabelo Boranabi | Monday August 23, 2021 16:00
Ronaldo's initial 30-member squad reported for camp last Monday. The team misses six players based abroad including, Mamelodi Sundowns' Sedilame Bosija, Zambia based Warona Malete, Lone Gaofetoge and Thando Mokgabo, alongside the duo beingThuto Ramafifi and Nthabiseng Mogatle who are based in the USA. The players will join the rest of the squad at later stage. Speaking to Botswana Football Association (BFA) media on Friday, Nkutlwisang said expressed worries by the fitness level after a lengthy period on the sidelines. “We have called into camp a balanced team stirred by both the youth and the experienced.
Our international players will join the camp closer to the tournament. We believe active players will greatly assist our team going into the upcoming tournament. We are going there to compete but for now we should prepare hard and focus on the quest at hand," Nkutlwisang said. The Mares will be looking to go an extra step forward from the last edition's runners-up finish. The Mares are pitted in Group B alongside, guest nations Tanzania, South Sudan and neighbors Zimbabwe. The tournament will be played at Port Elizabeth in South Africa, from September 15-22.
Meanwhile, Gaborone Region 1 league side, Double Action left for South Africa ahead of their COSAFA CAF Champions League qualifiers. The team is in Group A of the tournament that includes Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, eSwatini’s Manzini Wanderers and Lesotho Defence Force (LDF). Action will begin their quest against Wanderers on Thursday, August 26 at 3pm. On Saturday, August 28 Action take on Sundowns at 3pm while they will round off the group stages' matches against LDF on Monday, August 30 at 3pm.
All games will be played at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.