Familiar Foe Awaits Under-20 Side

Kabelo Boranabi | Monday February 3, 2020 14:47

The local girls beat Namibia 2-0 in the second leg of the preliminary round of qualifiers played at the National Stadium on Friday night.The team advanced on a 9-0 aggregate score and set a date with Basetsana later this month. In the first 10 minutes, Namibia sat behind the centre line, as they feared another embarrassing scoreline while Botswana seemed to enjoy possession without hurrying into the final third.

On the 13th minute, Esalenna Galekhutle beat her markers and delivered a cross for Obonetse Rathari who tapped in to give the locals the lead. It was 2-0 on the 21st minute as Keitumetse Dithebe curled in a free kick to the top corner.

 Botswana continued to control proceedings on the evening, but were dealt a blow, as injured Kaone Kgokong was ferried outside with three minutes to the break. Theo George replaced her.

Michelle Abueng’s goal toward the end of first half was ruled offside before Dithebe  shot over the bar from another free kick.

The locals held a 2-0 lead into the break.

Five minutes into the second half, Galekhutle made another free kick attempt, but it went over the bar.

On the hour mark, Mercia Skrywer tried to score with speculative effort, but the goalkeeper’s save was the first chance at goal for the visitors. Nine minutes later, George had her shot parried back into play, however Abueng missed from close range. The locals enjoyed a lion’s share of ball possession as the visitors maintained their defensive approach.

“Today it was not about how many goals we score. We wanted to keep the ball and let the girls express themselves. We wanted to have the possession so we can see each player’s individual strengths, in preparations for the next round,” Botswana’s coach Jacqueline Gaboinelwe said after the game.

Her counterpart Kasaona Uerikondjera said: “We did not have the same time to prepare like Botswana. If I had, we could have done better. You see after seven days to prepare the results spoke for themselves. We were not outplayed but we failed to match Botswana’s fitness,” she said.

The Teams:

Botswana: Bame Mokime, Leungo Senwelo (Tshegofatso Mosotho), Kgokong (George), Tebatso Pilane, Lone Gaofetoge, Annah Sechane, Segakolodi Dudukanyane,  Dithebe, Galekhutle, Abueng, Obonetse Rathari (Phetso Selaledi)

Namibia: Julia Rutjindo, Rouxchell Nasas (Beyonce Cloete), Nicole Philander, Albertina Aludhlu (Veronica April), Skrywer, Shanice Daries (Vipua Tjingaete), Chantenline Engelbrecht, Tjamunene Ndjavera, Soini Sheenya, Vijakura Tjingaete

Cautions: Rutjindo, Aludhlu

Botswana 2 (Rathari 13th, Dithebe 21st)

Namibia 0