COVID-19 Might Produce Football Season Surprises

Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Monday June 8, 2020 13:18

Masitaoka will play in the elite league for the first time should the Botswana Football Association (BFA) declare the season complete PIC: PHATSIMO KAPENG

The football fraternity is waiting anxiously for the final decision of the association on the fate of the season amidst the COVID-19 impact.

Last week, the mother body requested football clubs to express their views on what the association should do about the current season.

Clubs were given three options to decide from which included playing the remaining games to determine the fate of the season. The other option was to declare the season null and void while the third option suggested that the season be declared complete as it is, with those at the top considered winners while the bottom ones will relegate to the lower divisions.

The BFA medical committee has reportedly already submitted its report to the BFA stating that it will be financially impossible to play the remaining matches. It has also reportedly suggested that the league be declared complete as it is. It was now up to the clubs to state their position on the matter before the mother body makes a final decision.

However ,with many already suggesting that the league is likely to be declared complete as it is, local football will witness a few firsts. For instance, Jwaneng Galaxy currently leading the BTC Premiership table would become league winners for the first time. They currently top the log with 41 points from 20 matches, one point ahead of defending champions, Township Rollers and Orapa United. Galaxy would join the likes of Rollers, Gaborone United (GU), Mogoditshane Fighters, BDF XI, Police XI, Notwane, Extension Gunners, ECCO City Greens and Mochudi Centre Chiefs who have won the league titles before.

Since joining the elite league, Galaxy already won two Mascom Top 8 titles, but fell short of reaching the finish line first in the league. They have been playing second fiddle to Rollers in the past two seasons.

Another first likely to be witnessed in local football is the promotion of Sua Flamingoes and Masitaoka to the Premier league.

The two are currently sitting at the top of the Debswana First Division North and South respectively.

Both sides’ attempts in the past failed to bear any fruits. For the first time since their arrival in the Premier League, Security Systems will finish in the top four bracket while Prisons XI will play their first Mascom Top 8 tournament next season.

There are reports that majority of the clubs favour the option of declaring the season complete thereby leaving the likes of Rollers, Orapa United, TAFIC, Miscellaneous and Nico United devastated.