It was an emotional game for both teams- Mpatane
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Tuesday June 2, 2026 09:46
Galaxy beat Chiefs 2-1 to win the Orange FA Cup on Friday at the National Stadium.
Speaking after the match, Mpatane stated his side knew they were facing a unique opportunity to make history by becoming only the second club after Gaborone United (GU) to win the competition three times.
“We knew it was going to be an emotional game,” he said. “We wanted to win it three times and make our own history. Only GU has done that, so we wanted to achieve the feat.”
The assistant coach acknowledged that the occasion was equally significant for Chiefs, who were appearing in their first cup final in many years.
“It was also emotional for Chiefs as well because they had not played in a cup final in many years. The most important thing for us was to work on the players’ mindset and their focus,” he added.
Mpatane was pleased with the way his charges responded when Chiefs opened the scoring, saying the team remained calm and stuck to the game plan.
“We did very well because when they scored their first goal, we did not panic. Our emotions were intact and we made sure that we got the job done,” he said.
The Galaxy assistant coach revealed that extensive analysis of their opponents played a key role in the victory. According to Mpatane, the technical team identified weaknesses in Chiefs’ defensive structure and ensured the players were ready to exploit them.
“We are always going to have chances. We studied Chiefs and we have seen how they defend,” he said.
“We capitalised on that. We knew they are vulnerable when defending set-pieces, so we worked on that in training and it worked very well for us.”
Mpatane also explained the decision to leave striker, Thabang Sesinyi on the bench at the start of the match. He said the technical team felt Omaatla Kebatho was better suited for the demands of the contest.
“This was Dunga’s type of game. He is physical and he did very well against the two centre backs,” Mpatane noted.
Meanwhile, Chiefs coach Miguel Corral Torreira cut a disappointed figure after the final whistle but remained proud of his players’ efforts despite the defeat.
“It was a tough night for us,” Miguel admitted. However, the Chiefs coach believes the painful loss could prove beneficial for his side in the long term. “This defeat will make us stronger. I cannot fault the effort of the players. They gave everything,” he said.
Teams Galaxy: Goitseone Phoko, Tebogo Kopelang, Thabo Leinanyane, Chicco Molefe, Lesego Kereedilwe, Manda Nongo, Neo Mokgachane, Gift Moyo, Katlego Makgwa, Kebatho (Thabang Sesinyi) Chiefs: Keeagile Kgosipula, Nahuel Melgarejo, Kgosietsile Ernest, Aitor Aldalur, Shanganani Ngada, Kutlwelo Mpolokang, Theo Shadikong, (Monty Enosa), Evans Rusike, Gilbert Baruti, Ronaldo Fortune, Hendrick Moyo, (Resaobaka Thatanyane)
Galaxy (Samunzala 28th, Kebatho 51st) Chiefs (Fortune 27th)