Zebras scrap through
Thato Kala | Monday June 2, 2014 17:28
Captain Joel Mogorosi, who was a lone figure upfront all afternoon, scored the solitary goal early in the second half. Zebras coach Peter James Butler played Mogorosi upfront instead of his usual wing position and also took a gamble by fielding an unfit Mogakolodi Ngele.
Butler also threw in rookie Lebogang Ditsile ahead of Jackie Mothatego. Play was balanced in the early stages of the match with the visitors trying their luck upfront.
Zebras’ goalkeeper Kabelo Dambe saved a low shot by Pierre Kwizera in the 16th minute. Burundi made their next reasonable attempt in the 34th minute, but Kwizera’s effort went over bar.
At the other end, Mogorosi struggled to breakthrough with no clean supply of balls. Butler pulled out an out of sorts Ngele and Ditsile at the start of the second half and introduced Mothatego and Kabelo Seakanyeng. The move seemed to have paid off with an improved performance from the midfield. Dambe turned provider in the 57th minute when he made a long clearance into the Burundi half. Mogorosi beat two defenders for pace and slotted in Botswana’s goal, sending the crowd into a frenzy. After the goal, Burundi started attacking in search of an equaliser with just over 30 minutes to go. Burundi captain Saidi Ntibazonkiza had his low shot saved in the 58th minute.
Botswana got a bit of rhythm after the hour mark, but a brief injury stoppage disturbed the flow. Zebras fans had an anxious moment in the 63rd minute when Burundi won a free kick outside the box, but the visitors fluffed it.
Mogorosi could have added another goal for the Zebras in the 70th minute, but the Burundians managed to clear off for a corner. There was another injury stoppage in the 77th minute as Dambe had to be attended to by the medical team.
Thereafter the Zebras went for a lull and allowed their opponents to come at them. As if to reinforce his defence, Butler introduced Moshe Gaolaolwe for Koko with just two minutes to go.
But that did not make much of a difference as Burundi camped in Botswana’s half. Burundi coach Alain Olivier said the referee cost them the game. “I think we played good football, but we lost because Botswana scored one goal and started defending. They did not play football.
We lost but I think we played good football,” he said. Butler praised his charges saying they had shown a lot of courage and determination against the East Africans. “I knew it was not going to be a free-flowing game, I knew it was going to be a scrap, but sometimes it is not about pretty flower birds, but sometimes it is about showing courage and determination and I thought the boys did exactly that,” Butler said.