Rollers Upstage Orapa In Terrific Comeback
Kabelo Boranabi | Monday September 16, 2019 10:32
Under floodlights, the fixture pitted head coaches, Tomas Trucha and Mogomotsi Mpote. Both coaches battled against their former employers.
Trucha had a short stint at Orapa United while Mpote served as an assistant coach at Rollers for a long time. However, on Saturday it was the Czech Republican who came out tops as Mpote lost his first game against Rollers after three attempts.
Defensive midfielders, Ivan Mbowa and Abdul Raziki Hamisi started their debut on the evening by Rollers and United respectively. United took the lead as early as the fifth minute, taking a full advantage of a Rollers’ defensive blunder. Kaone van der Westhuizen lost possession cheaply to Mbatshi Elias.
The winger crossed the ball to Onkabetse Makgantai who beat goalkeeper, Kabelo Dambe from close range. The visitors pressed hard, as Rollers struggled to find its rhythm. In the 11th minute, Omaatla Kebatho pulled a low driven shot but it was wide off the post. Popa had their first sight at goal in the 28tth minute, Motsholetsi Sikele had his shot parried back into play.
Thereafter Simisane Mathumo was superbly denied by Lesenya Malapela from close range. Five minutes to the break, Kitso Mpuisang on the turn pulled the trigger but the shot did not trouble Malapela. United maintained a 1-0 lead to the break.
At half-time, Trucha introduced Mothusi Cooper and Edwin Moalosi in place of Kago Monyake and Mpuisang respectively as the Blues sought a comeback. The changes sparked life into the team’s play and just five minutes into the half, van der Westhuizen saw his cross-cum-shot parried over the bar by the goalkeeper for a corner.
Rollers eventually got the equaliser in 68th minute with a header from skipper, Maano Ditshupo from a corner kick. The visitors struggled to deal with the set pieces for majority of the game but Rollers failed to capitalise. Just minutes onto the field, substitute Fabien Mongba was denied a debut goal by the goalkeeper on a one-on-one situation with just six minutes left.
Two minutes later Popa took the lead when Ofentse Nato tapped in from another set piece. Sikele pinned the final nail on the coffin in the last minute of the match, as he superbly met Kamohelo Matsabu’s teasing cross from the right.
“I should give credit to the boys. They played and applied themselves. But they gave it away, they became overconfident. It is still early into the season.
We will bounce back. I do not have a problem with dropping points against Rollers because we still have other teams to play,” Mpote said. His counterpart, Trucha was happy with his charges and downplayed revenge plot against former side. “I do not want to bring too much emotions. I believe we worked hard as a team and Rollers players won the game today,” he said.
The Teams:
Rollers: Dambe, Matsabu, Nato, Mathumo, van der Westhuizen, Mbowa, Ditshupo, Monyake (Cooper), Mpuisang (Edwin Moalosi), Tumisang Orebonye (Mongba), Sikele
United: Malapela, Kaelo Kgaswane, Mooketsi Hlabano, Tapiwa Nyamanjiva, Mothusi Johnson, Hamisi, Lawrence Ndunga (Allen Ndodole), Gofaone Mabaya, Elias (Onkemetse Powe), Makgantai, Omaatla Kebatho
Caution: Makgantai
Rollers 3 (Ditshupo 68th,
Nato 86th, Sikele 90+3)
United 1 (Makgantai fifth)