From a procession to a title race
Mqondisi Dube | Saturday March 5, 2022 06:00
At one stage, it was a procession but now, it is a title race, as famed English commentator, Peter Drury summed up the Premier League’s title race. Manchester City were running away with the crown, but Liverpool intervened. Only last month, City moved 12 points clear of Liverpool and were truly getting out of sight.
But two stumbles against Southampton and Tottenham Hotspurs hauled Liverpool back into the picture. Liverpool are on a six-game winning streak, as they apply the pressure on their recent seasons’ newly found title rivals.
In the BFL, Gaborone United were on a relentless procession to their first crown in 12 years, enjoying an eight-point lead at the end of January with just one loss and having played a game less than their rivals.
Like City who were held by Southampton, the Reds drew their games against Morupule Wanderers and Police XI. Rollers then stitched together a 10-game unbeaten run, including a 1-0 win over their title rivals that saw the gap slashed to just one point and the procession turned into a race.
The Reds of Botswana are feeling the Blues’ heavy breath. In England it has been the opposite, the (Sky) Blues can smell the heavy breath of Liverpool’s Reds.
The Blues remain slight favourites in England as they enjoy a six-point advantage, although that can be cut to three as the Reds have a game in hand. In Botswana, the fate of the title is still in the hands of the Reds as they have played a game less than the Blues.
The fans are on the edge of their seats from Etihad, through Anfield to Gaborone for different reasons.
Botswana and England’s Blues have been the dominant forces in recent seasons. City have five league titles since 2010 while Rollers have seven.
Pep Guardiola’s side is the richest team in England (before Newcastle’s takeover last year), bankrolled by Emirati billionaire, Sheikh Mansour. Botswana’s Blues, although miles behind City, are the country’s glamour club and enjoy the financial backing of millionaire, Jagdish Shah.
The Reds of Anfield are owned by comparatively modest Fenway Sports Group of America.
Botswana’s Reds are not far off Rollers as Zac Construction, owned by business mogul, Nicolas Zakhem, is the main funder.
This leaves the teams with a firm focus on the field, with little to worry about off the field. In England, boardroom issues are hardly a concern, but in Botswana, failure to honour contractual obligations has been a bane eating into the game.
However, Rollers and GU have been immune from the disease due to the financial backing from Shah and Zakhem.
This, therefore, sets the tone for an intriguing last lap of the local contest, as the two teams go toe-to-toe for the first time since the turn of the millennium.
Regular challenger, Mochudi Centre Chiefs, who together with Rollers took over the dominance of the local game between 2009 and 2016, has exited the big stage.
Chiefs are now campaigning in the lower league and Rollers have been short of a genuine community team challenger. Jwaneng Galaxy and Orapa United, backed by diamond miner, Debswana have been Rollers’ companions, but do not enjoy widespread support bases like GU, Chiefs, Extension Gunners and to a lesser extent, Notwane and TAFIC.
GU fans would have liked a procession, but for Rollers and neutral fans, a title race presents a tantalising prospect.
The Reds had put pressure on Rollers on Tuesday when they opened a four-point gap, with Popa only in action on Wednesday.
When Rollers conceded first against hoodoo side, BDF XI, memories of a procession came flashing, but the second-placed side roared back in the second half to hang on to GU’s coat tail.
It is still in GU’s hands, but any slip up could hand the initiative to Rollers. Both sides are no strangers to edge-of-the-seat title races.
The Red’s last triumph in 2009 was a nail-biting affair as they managed to defeat Chiefs 1-0 on the last day of the season, piping the Kgatleng giants to the title. Rollers have also enjoyed several photo finishes, particularly against Chiefs.
After a dry 2020 and a season cut short due to COVID-19, fans have shown hunger this season as they throng stadiums. However, the arrangement of some fixtures has supporters questioning the administrators’ logic.
The top of the table clash to the Royal Aria Stadium came with disastrous consequences, while GU and Gunners were scheduled to play midweek in Lobatse. Despite the questionable decision, a bumper crowd was in attendance.