Zebras hit blind alley as Ramoreboli chases elusive targets
Mqondisi Dube | Monday September 15, 2025 06:00
The year 2012 was of the bounty harvest for the Zebras and the nation, as the team made its first-ever appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations finals.
That represented the Zebras' biggest moment as the side finally made its way to African football's finest dining arena. Although they did not feast at the top table after three straight defeats, there was gratification as the shackles had been broken.
Subsequent years of drought and famine followed, as the Zebras produced yo-yo performances in between, swinging between brilliance and mediocrity. There were moments when there was a feeling of genuine revival, like in 2015 when the Zebras floored the likes of Mali and Burkina Faso.
The team even reached its first-ever COSAFA Cup final in 2016, but then the Jekyll and Hyde performances returned. From a career-high of number 53, the Zebras had plummeted below 100 but rose to 86 under Peter Butler.
Since then the team has struggled at above number 140 in the FIFA rankings, reflecting lack of decisive progress in the intervening years since the team's maiden appearance at the AFCON finals.
There were measured hopes that the 2012 moment in the sun would lead to a long tunnel of success, with the Zebras finally ripping to shreds the label 'Whipping Boys' after years in the wilderness.
The hope was that the Zebras will strike consistency and stay on the coattails of Africa's heavyweights. However, the full gallop has not been achieved as the Zebras meander in and out of mediocrity, although the full agreement is that the dark, heavy defeats days are firmly behind.
It has taken 13 years for Botswana to earn another dance with Africa's top sides at the AFCON finals, following qualification to the continental festival last year.
But despite the achievement, the Zebras are blowing hot and cold ahead of their second AFCON finals appearance in December.
After the team beat Cape Verde home and away last year, there were hopes that the Zebras will hit consistency as they managed to secure draws against Mauritania and Egypt, which were enough to send them to the finals in Morocco.
But results have been erratic since, with coach, Morena Ramoreboli overseeing a tough run of just one win in seven matches, with the last Zebras victory coming in March against Somalia.
Since the Zebras beat Cape Verde at the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium last year, then under the guidance of Frenchman, Didier Gomez Da Rosa, the team has stumbled from one result to the other.
Against Mauritania and Egypt, the team had to weather the storm in the middle of nervy moments, before securing draws. The Zebras then began their year with a 3-1 home defeat to Algeria in Francistown in March, before Ramoreboli's only victory thus far, a 2-0 home win over Somalia.
In June, the Zebras travelled to South Africa for the COSAFA Cup and managed three draws and although they finished the tournament undefeated, the stalemates were insufficient to ensure progress.
Last week, Ramoreboli and his charges were back on the pitch, and put up a spirited display against former African champions, Algeria, before falling 3-1.
The manner of the defeat raised hopes that the Zebras were back competing, but it was a sense of deja vu when they fell to a deflating 2-0 loss to Mozambique on Sunday, effectively crushing any slim hopes of progress in the World Cup qualifiers.
When Ramoreboli was installed as the Zebras coach last year, he was handed challenging targets but with every passing match, these are fast fading like the winter light.
He was tasked with winning the 2025 COSAFA Cup, but that has eluded him, after draws against Zambia and Comoros meant the team were in the next flight home.
As part of Ramoreboli's targets, the coach has to ensure the team reaches at least 12 points in the World Cup qualifiers. The Zebras have nine points with two tough matches remaining against Uganda at home and an away tie against Guinea next month.
A win in one of the two matches will mean Ramoreboli ticks-off one of his five targets, while the COSAFA one has already flown away.
At the AFCON finals in December, Ramoreboli has to reach the second round, which will better the team's debut performance in 2012, where the boys lost all three group stage matches, sending them home early. The South African, who was hired by the Botswana Football Association (BFA) on the back of an impressive record with Jwaneng Galaxy, has to reach the 2026 African Nations Championship (CHAN) finals.
The fifth target is for Ramoreboli to take the team into the top 30 of Africa's rankings, with the Zebras 10 places worse-off at the moment at number 40.
Ramoreboli, a respected coach who has previous experience guiding South Africa's Bafana Bafana at the COSAFA Cup, penned a two-year deal with the BFA in January.
In less than 12-month in charge, the coach has had to deal with issues of discipline after clashing with winger Kabelo Seakanyeng who was not called up for the latest round of the World Cup qualifiers. There appears to be the unresolved issue between the Botswana Football Association (BFA) and captain, Thatayaone Ditlokwe, which has limited his selection as both Seakanyeng and the skipper are key members of the side.