Dinare mean business, warn Mogorosi
Kabelo Boranabi | Tuesday October 20, 2026 11:02
They convincingly scored a 3-0 victory over Notwane FC here at Buffalo Park on Saturday afternoon. Despite the emphatic scoreline, assistant coach Joel Mogorosi believes his charges have barely scratched the surface as they seek to erase last season's painful promotion play-off heartbreak. A debut brace from winter signing Thabiso Boti and a late strike from substitute Omphemetse Athibeng handed Dinare a dream start to a campaign in which automatic promotion remains the ultimate prize. Having enjoyed an impressive debut season in the second tier, during which they briefly set the pace in the southern stream before stumbling in the promotion play-offs, Dinare are determined to avoid another near miss.
Mogorosi made it clear that while cup competitions remain important, securing top-flight football takes precedence. 'We have been playing the Prestige Cup, but the prize is not like this one for the league because our main target is to get promotion. So this is the real business. 'I'm not saying we don't want to win the cup, but this is what we want more than anything else,' he said. On Saturday, Dinare needed just a minute to announce their intentions as Boti opened his account for the club, handing the hosts an early advantage. The home side continued to dominate proceedings, with the attacking combination of Boti, Raymond Arthur and Omphile Phale repeatedly troubling the visitors. However, Notwane goalkeeper Kabelo Balelanye produced an impressive display to keep the scoreline respectable heading into the break. Notwane emerged a much-improved side after halftime, absorbing pressure and occasionally threatening on the counterattack as Dinare struggled to maintain their early intensity. However, the visitors' resistance eventually crumbled in the closing stages.
Boti completed his debut brace in the 84th minute, tapping home a cross from fellow new signing Thabang Mooketsi before substitute Athibeng added a third barely a minute later. Despite the comfortable victory, Mogorosi was critical of his side's sluggish passages of play, attributing their inconsistent intensity partly to the scorching conditions and opening-day pressure. 'We scored in the first minute, which was good for us. It was supposed to give us confidence, but somehow we didn't lift the intensity,' he said. Beyond the three points, Mogorosi believes the victory represents an important shift in fortunes against opponents who proved troublesome last season. Notwane collected four points from their two meetings with Dinare in the previous campaign, a record Mogorosi believes his side must reverse against similarly difficult opponents to realise their promotion ambitions.
'If we can keep getting points from where we didn't get them last season and keep getting points from the teams that we have beaten from the previous season, I think we can get what we want, which is promotion,' he added. The former Zebras international also fired a warning to future opponents, insisting Dinare's attacking potential remains far from fully realised. 'It's good that we are creating chances and we are getting into good areas.
On a good day, we will give someone five or six,' Mogorosi said. The Teams Dinare: Kamogelo Mogomotsi, Pholoso Mapitse, Donald Mapharing, Mbase Ngakaetsile, Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, Raymond Arthur, Mogakolodi Ngele (Lebopo Moremi), Gideon Ninson (Thatayaone Ramatlapeng), Thabiso Boti, Omphile Phale (Omphemetse Athibeng) Notwane: Kabelo Balelanye, Kamogelo Kashiwa, Ronald Better, Alphius Selefho, Gaolathe Mbaiwa, Larona Seloba (Lucas Manuel), Bofelo Dima (One Keorapetse), Phetso Baakile (Tumelo Ketshabile), Aobakwe Tshupo (Botsetswe Othusegile), Happy Pilane, Katlego Keakile