Under-17 Side Faces Uphill Task
Kabelo Boranabi | Monday March 2, 2020 15:03
The team is faced with a mammoth task to overturn the score in the away leg to be played in a fortnight.
It looked a bad night for the local girls as they found themselves on the back-foot from the start.
The team survived a nervy moment 17 minutes into the game as goalkeeper, Thobo Monageng had to deal with a free kick attempt from Ikram Neddar.
The home team eventually conceded in the 23rd minute with Salma Tammar beating the goalie to the far bottom corner.
Tammar proved a menace on the night as she went close again on the 30th and 36th minutes, but could not extend her team’s lead. Just before halftime, the Botswana team had a rare moment in the opposition’s third, but Jessica Modise shot wide. The team trailed 1-0 at recess.
The away side nearly bagged the second goal. But Monageng went tops to deny Tammar once more just five minutes into the second half. Just past the hour mark, Modise once again headed wide inside the penalty area as the local girls pushed hard for an equaliser. The visitors resorted to keeping the ball possession as Botswana sat back and looked for counter attacks. Morocco bagged the vital win on the night ahead of the second leg.
But Botswana coach, Taphaphiwa Gaebolae was unfazed by the Moroccan defeat and their technical prowess on the field.
“This is a team that we can beat, I should laud the girls for their performance today. We could have done much better, but the result did not go our way. We failed to keep the ball in the first half, but we improved a lot in the second half. I think if we can take it from there we can bring positive results in the away leg,” Gaebolae said after the game, apparently signalling the start of plotting their opponent’s downfall in their backyard of Casablanca on March 13.
The teams:
Botswana: Monageng, Keitumetse Thomas, Peggy Manewa, Modise, Lorato Motlogelwa, Precious Tlhapi, Pearl Sikwane, Neonyana Jautse (Christinah Monyatsi), Desiree Kenyaditswe, Bofelo Rantsho (Dimpho Sedirwa), Lone Kgalaeng
Morocco: Zineb Elarari, Elhassania Bourchouk, Salma Stiten, Ikram Benjaddi, Hajar Errakkas, Zineb Erroudany, Salam Tammar (Hajad Elkasaami), Hajar Jbilou (Wisaam Enaciri), Ouimaima Heddiya, Ikram Neddar, Nadia Zaaour
Botswana 0
Morocco 1 (Tammar 23rd)