Sankoyo Notch Victory
Boniface Keakabetse | Monday August 11, 2014 13:42
Sankoyo mounted early pressure through Botshelo Mafoko and the fast paced Gaonyadiwe Dipateletso who were a menace on the Motlakase defence. The early pressure paid off as Dipateletso won a free kick on the sixth minute from which they scored their first ever goal in the top flight. Motlakase defence thought they had dealt with the set piece well only for the ball to stray on the path of a lurking midfielder, Frederick Motukwa who fired from outside the area for the opener.
The goal energised the crowd which thronged the stadium to witness ‘Ngurungu’, as Bush Bucks is also called making the historic derby in the elite league. Ngurungu then missed two more chances that they should have buried.
On the 12th minute Motlakase surged forward through the midfield and won a free kick, but veteran campaigner Jomo Bolofete ballooned the ball over the goals. From the 20th minute it was an open game.
Every time Motlakase were on the attack, the inexperience of Bush Bucks defence was exposed, but Motlakase failed to capitalise.
Sankoyo led 1-0 at half time but it was a different affair in the second half as Motlakase seemed to have read the inexperience of Sankoyo which came in to the game without its new coach, Zimbabwean Philani Mabhena who sat in the stands as his work permit is not yet ready.
Three Zimbabwean and four local new signings for Sankoyo did not also take part in the game as their books are also not ready. Motlakase found the back of the net two minutes after recess through Pelaelo Hlabano. The goal sent panic in the home camp as Motlakase piled pressure but failed to score any of the avalanche of chances they created in the second half.
In the last 15 minutes Sankoyo found their colour again as they strung a few passes together and attacked. It looked the game was destined for a draw, but a blunder by Motlakase defender Phillip Ofithile led to the referee giving a penalty deep into injury time. Ofithile was also red carded after fouling a Sankoyo player inside the box conceding the penalty which was converted by substitute Zehaniso Mathews. The referee then blew the whistle to give Bush Bucks their first win in the first game of the 2014/15 season.
Motlakase coach, Pule Mogotsi said after the game that their greatest undoing was creating a lot of scoring chances and failing to use them. He said they should have buried the game in the second half. He revealed that they arrived in Maun in the morning just hours before kickoff. He would not comment on the referee’s decision to award what some viewed as a soft penalty. Meanwhile Philani Mabhena said they had a chaotic preparation for the game as some of their players could not take part in the game. He said they also have to work more on their defence in training before going away to take on FC Satmos in Phikwe this coming weekend. Mabhena said he expect his working papers to be finalised this week for him to take his position in the bench.