Green Lovers book play-off spot

Chakalisa Dube | Thursday April 23, 2015 17:41

 

A 2-0 win over TASC at the weekend gave Lovers a good shot at a Premier League berth.Going into the match, TAFIC and Kazungula Young Fighters had an outside chance of going to the play-offs provided Lovers lost by a high margin.

However, it was not to be as Lovers earned themselves a place in the play-offs just in their third season in the Debswana First Division North. Lovers will now face Fighters in the two-legged clash to decide who goes to the elite league.

The first match will be on the May 2 while the second round fixture will be on May 9.

Green Lovers coach and owner Othusitse Kootswele said that he believes his team can do well in the play-offs.

“We have gathered enough experience in the last two seasons and we have kept most of our players together.

“This is one major factor that I strongly believe can help us win the play-offs.

“We know Fighters have experienced former Premier League players.

“But, we have also played and done well against teams that had former elite league players which, is why I am confident we will do well in the play-offs,” said Kootswele.

He stated that his club’s initial target when the season stated was to win the league.

“In the past two seasons, we came second and fourth successively. This is mainly because most of the players were young and still learning. This season we felt the players were ready and we wanted to go for the league,” he said. He further explained that after it became clear that the club will not win the league, they decided to target the play-offs.

He conceded that the club does not have funds to compete in the Premier League, but said they are banking on the Serowe businesses and the community in general to support the club, should they make it to the elite league.

Meanwhile, Amakhosi FC have been relegated from the First Division following their loss against Tsabothe FC in Francistown.

TASC and Tonota FC are holding on precariously and not safe from the dreaded axe. Tonota have 20 points with a game in hand, meaning that a win will help them escape from the relegation zone.

That would leave TASC as the team that will join Amakhosi in Division One.

A team third from bottom may also be relegated if Green Lovers lose in the play-offs while ECCO as well as Satmos drop from the Premier League. If Tonota win and Lovers lose in the play-offs, as well as a drop by ECCO and Satmos from the elite league, it will mean that Great North Tigers (GNT) and TASC would join Amakhosi in the Division One.

GNT are at position eight with 22 points, the same number as ninth-placed TASC that have an inferior goal difference while Amakhosi and Tonota are at position 11 and 12 with 21 and 20 points respectively, though the latter has a game in hand.