Trouble-struck Rollers respond to Orapa United
Kabelo Boranabi | Monday March 6, 2023 16:48
The Botswana Premier League (BPL) encounter, which was played under floodlights, had all ingredients of a top tier as seven yellow cards and a red card were issued while an own goal nearly decided the contest between the third and fourth placed teams in the league.
In the first few minutes of the tie, Rollers forced two consecutive saves from Orapa United goalkeeper, Lesenya Malapela with forwards, Morgan Gaseitsiwe and Terry Uiseb setting the right tone for the fixture.
The Ostriches had their say on the 10th minute with two consecutive attempts. Rollers goalkeeper, Kabelo Maphakela splendidly tipped Wilfred Muvirimi’s header over the bar before he parried away Lemogang Maswena’s headed attempt out of play. On the 17th minute Kelvin Bingala dispossessed Mbatshi Elias in front of the penalty area and found Omaatla Kebatho in the box but the striker was denied by the goalkeeper. A minute later, Phenyo Serameng on the other end hit the bottom corner with a low driven shot.
The visitors thought they had taken the lead on the 24th minute through Bingala but the referee recalled the goal and ruled that there was a handball on the build up to the disallowed goal. Tlamelo Kolagano hit the cross bar for Orapa United on the half mark as Bingala forced another brilliant save from Maphakela on the 37th minute.
The explosive first half ended with the two sides tied at 0-0. Just five minutes into the second half, Orapa United had another goal disallowed as Bingala struck in from close range but the referee called for an offside. Halftime substitute, Mogakolodi Ngele missed the target from a free kick on the 52nd minute. Ngele came close once again on the hour mark but his volley was superbly saved by Malapela. On the 65th minute Shaun Gcumeni squandered a glorious chance to give Popa the lead as he was beaten by Malapela on a one-on-one situation.
The visitors broke the deadlock on the 70th minute when Jackson Lesole put Bingala’s low cross into his own net. Simisane Mathumo found himself inside the area on the 77th minute but shot wide off the post. Three minutes, the defender nodded in from close range to level the matters. On the 82nd minute Ngele hit the side net from inside the box as Popa searched for a winner. Three minutes later, referee, Joshua Bondo brandished three Rollers players, Denver Meyer, Siyanda Ngubo and Elias with yellow cards for antics towards match officials in the technical bench. It was the second yellow card for Elias and he received the marching orders just eight minutes after coming off.
On the brink of regulation time, Kebatho was afforded space in front of the box but his powerfully struck attempt went over the bar. Popa dramatically took the lead on the last minute of the five additional minutes. Ngele set up Edwin Moalosi whose low drive beat Malapela to the far post to give Rollers the lead. The attacker did his trademark celebration by taking his shirt off and jumped into the crowd at the ‘Rollers’ stand as the team bagged the valuable three points on the night.
“I was 100% confident even when they scored against us. As you saw I changed the system from what I used in the past game. I felt the team was ready for this and sometimes when people talk about something they should know that we are working. We are working for good and nobody plays the kind of football we are playing in Botswana,” Rollers’ head coach, Sergio Tranguil said after the match.
The Teams:
Rollers: Kabelo Maphakela, Jacksone Lesole, Simisane Mathumo, Mosha Gaolaolwe, Onkarabile Ratanang, Phenyo Serameng, Thabo Wetshoemang (Segolame Boy), Shaun Gcumeni, Mbatshi Elias (Edwin Moalosi), Morgan Gaseitsiwe (Mogakolodi Ngele), Terry Uiseb (Siyanda Ngubo)
Orapa: Lesenya Malapela, Mpho Kgaswane, Tlamelo Kolagano, Thato Seagateng, Mooketsi Hlabano, Tapiwa Nyamanjiva, Wilfred Muvirimi (Isakar Hobasen Gurirab), Koketso Majafi, Omaatla Kebatho, Kelvin Bingala (Tinashe Chivandire), Lemogang Maswena
Cautions: Ratanang, Elias, Meyer, Ngubo, Moalosi, Kolagano, Majafi
Dismissal: Elias
Rollers 2 (Mathumo 80th, Moalosi 90+5) Orapa 1 (Lesole o.g 70th)