The football hand that giveth
Kabelo Boranabi | Saturday April 2, 2022 08:42
Proceeds of the one-day tournament powered by one of the telecommunications company’s products, MyZaka, will go to charitable organisations across the country.
Four teams, Gaborone United (GU), Security Systems, BDF XI and Orapa United, won most of the votes to participate in the one-day spectacular. For the quartet, it will be a moment to try out new combinations to keep up the momentum ahead of the last six rounds of the league games and the FA Cup. The first semi-final has pitted BDF XI and Security Systems at 9am. The pair have been enjoying a good run of form recently. Each has lost once in their last five games and hence the stage could be set for what could be an entertaining affair. There is a natural feeling of ‘playing with nothing to lose’ from both sides.
The two technical benches are expected to use their key players, especially after the teams were given a week-long off due to the international break. Kaelo ‘Wire’ Kaelo hopes to be the first coach to bring some piece of silverware to the empty Systems’ trophy cabinet. BDF XI's Letang ‘Rasta’ Kgengwenyane won the Mascom Top 8 seasons back but as an assistant coach and will be eyeing his first trophy as head coach. In a midday kick-off, GU and Orapa United in what the fans deemed the ‘final before final’. The Reds have had a terrific season. The team are ahead in the contention for the league honors, won season two of the FA Cup and remains in contention for season three of the FA Cup. Innocent Morapedi’s troops will hope to put a smile on the Reds’ faces with another piece of silverware.
The team has arguably the best depth in the league and Morapedi will look to use some of his fringe players. For the Ostriches’ coach, Mogomotsi ‘Teenage’ Mpote would want to continue being a man of firsts since assuming the head coach role. Mpote is the first coach to win the FA Cup since its return. He was also the first local coach to lift the league championship in a decade in 2017. Teenage is however not blessed with the quality his opponents on the day have but he has a pool of enterprising youngsters who could be given the nod on Saturday.
The Mascom Charity Cup winners’ prize is P250,000, the runners up will pocket P150,000 whilst the semi-finalists will take home P90,000 each team. The tournament’s player of the tournament will take home P15,000 whilst the best goalkeeper and the leading goal scorer are to pocket P6,000 and P8,500 respectively. For the three ties on the day, each man of the match will get P1,500. The match tickets sell at P50 for the North and South stands, P70 for the East Stand, and P100 for the Grand Stand.