From summit to slip: BDF XI’s painful finish
Kabelo Boranabi | Monday May 25, 2026 06:00
Behind the intimidating atmosphere of Sapolamokwatla (meaning the backbone) Grounds, the Carmo Girls built a disciplined and resilient title challenge that forced the BH National Women’s League Southern Stream’s traditional powerhouses onto the back foot.
They defeated champions Gaborone United (GU) at home, handed Double Action their first defeat of the campaign and spent weeks setting the pace at the summit.
At one stage, the title appeared firmly within reach. But with the championship now decided ahead of the final round of fixtures, BDF XI are left reflecting on how a dream campaign slowly slipped away during a difficult run of away matches.
Consecutive away defeats to title rivals, Jwaneng Galaxy, Double Action and eventual champions GU transformed the race completely.
The Carmo Girls, once in control of the standings, now sit third on 40 points, six behind GU and two adrift of Galaxy.
The turning point came after the first half of the season when BDF XI moved away from the comfort of Sapolamokwatla and faced direct rivals on the road.
A 3-0 loss to Galaxy at Galaxy Stadium handed the side its first defeat of the campaign before further setbacks against Double Action, and the last weekend's 5-0 demolition at the hands of Red Roses ended their hopes of lifting the Southern Stream title.
Whilst rivals GU and Galaxy overwhelmed opponents with relentless attacking football and heavy scorelines, BDF XI built their challenge differently. The Carmo Girls relied on defensive structure, organisation, and consistency.
At the halfway mark of the season, they were the only unbeaten side in the stream and boasted one of the best defensive records in the league. Coach Alfred Moswetsi believes the team’s strong run may also have hidden some of its weaknesses.
“We are still the best team. It is just that sometimes when you are at the top for long, you can forget to do a lot of things. When you are winning, you do not always see your mistakes, and by the time opponents capitalise, it becomes difficult to recover,' he said.
Moswetsi also pointed to fatigue as a factor during the decisive stage of the season, especially with some players returning from military commitments.
“Some of our players had just returned from training, and with time, fatigue caught us,” he said. “We also had a relapse, but the girls worked hard and showed character.”
The coach further admitted that goals remained the side’s biggest limitation.
“If you have realised, we are not a team that scores a lot of goals. “We tried to work on combinations that could work, and it is something we still need to improve on,' he said.
Champions GU have scored 207 goals this season, whilst Galaxy have netted 151. BDF XI, despite remaining amongst the league’s strongest defensive sides, managed 55 goals in 17 matches.