Chouka Nears Top Four With Calendar Victory
Koketso Kgoboge | Monday March 11, 2019 11:41
This weekend Chouka triumphed 1-0 over Calendar Stars at the Lotsane Senior Secondary School grounds.
The victory propelled the Palapye outfit to position five on the log table, a point adrift of Eleven Angels on fourth.
Chouka and Calendar endured a tough Saturday afternoon in a terrible pitch coupled with scorching heat.
Both coaches decried the poor conditions of the bumpy and sandy pitch and described it as unsuitable for football.
Motlakase's new coach Mothusi Seditse said the pitch made it difficult for his players to execute their game plan effectively. He said it nearly cost them as they failed to play their carpet football and ended up resorting to a long passing game they are not used to.
His Calendars Stars colleague Boipuso Manyalo reckoned his opponents
were lucky to salvage a goal under the conditions of the pitch. He believed the game could have gone either way.
'The pitch was just terrible. It is this kind of lack of seriousness that lowers the standard of our league and football in general. Playing under such conditions is a disgrace to our sponsors. They were just lucky to score,' he said.
The clubs showed the desire to play passing the ball, but failing to knee three passes on frequent attempts. Both ended up hoisting the ball up front and chasing it. Chances were created, but both sets of the striking forces lacked precision and sometimes awkward bounces of the ball cost them when they were ready to pull the trigger.
The host found the first breakthrough on the fourth minute. When the defenders were napping, Kentse Kgolokwane released Thapelo Chabalala with a quickly taken free kick against the goalkeeper. The lanky striker ballooned his effort.
Motlakase goalkeeper made a mistake five minutes later when he overcooked a pass to his defender. Gaolefufa Mosala pounced and unleashed a rocket. The goalkeeper redeemed himself with a brilliant save.
In the quarter hour mark, Onkemetse Oitsile posted a cross into the Calendar box. The ball beat the goalkeeper, but his defender was in place to quickly poke out when Chabalala was readying to bury the chance.
Although the pace of the encounter was slow both teams arrived in numerous occasions at the right end but failed to break the deadlock in the first stanza.
The second half ensued like the first. Chabalala had the first chance of the half in the 58th minute when the defender's attempted header back to his keeper was short.
The striker had intelligently anticipated the back pass and lashed into it only to be disappointed by his attempt that went wayward.
He made amends with an assist a minute later. Chabalala picked Ghalisano Johane's run with a superb cross in the box and the left-winger coolly slotted home.
The hosts gained momentum with the goal. They fashioned a series of attacks on the Calendar goals. Their clear-cut chance to increase the lead came on the 78th minute after brilliant combinations on the left wing. Johane released Kgolokwane and the left back posted a pinpoint cross to the unmarked William in the box. William climbed well only to redirect his well-connected header inches over the bar and left his supporters scratching their heads.
As the shadows fell, Calendar attempted a comeback, but their efforts were frustrated by the pitch and often thwarted the defenders that were happy to clear waywardly.
Seditse was happy with the maximum points. “We are fighting to finish inside the top four. Our mission is to go all the way and maybe somebody might feel the pressure and open up for us,” he said.
Motlakase: Badisa Mpote, Odirile Gabalefswe, Kgolokwane, Kemiso Nswazi, Fortune Oweditse, Tshepo Tapiso (George Selato), Oitsile, Bakang Bathusi (Gabathomphe Tshenyego), Chabalala, Onkgopotse William (Tomeletso Tomeletso), Johane
Calendar
Nsala Mosinyi, Chebukani Pilato, Maikano Macheng, Keabetswe Matsie, Gothusang Osego, Matlhogonolo Manko, Lemogang Thowe, Innocent Mogapi, Kago Kaizer (Olebogeng Sekani), Mosala, Yashe Dambe (Simon Motlogi)
Cautions: Sekani
Motlakase 1 (Johane 59th)
Calendar 0