Four players tied in Yellow Boot race
Kabelo Boranabi | Friday March 8, 2019 12:45
Strikers have been goal shy in the current and other editions, except in 2012 when the then Township Rollers attacker, Mogakolodi Ngele set a record of six goals, which is yet to be surpassed.
Since then, the Yellow Boot has not been won by more than four goals.
This season there has been a low return from the attackers and the race for the Yellow Boot is left down just to two men.
Four players are still in the Yellow Boot race, with Gaborone United’s Obonwe Maome, Tebogo Sembowa of Jwaneng Galaxy, Rollers’ Tumisang Orebonye and Kamogelo Matsabu on two goals apiece.
Orebonye and Matsabu are no longer in the competition, swinging the door wide open for Maome and Sembowa to surge ahead.
Both Maome and Sembowa have won the award before, with Sembowa’s four goals in 2013 ensuring he finished on top of the charts, while Maome won it last season with five goals.
Maome is the Yellow Boot defending champion and kick started his title defence with a goal against Miscellaneous in the quarterfinals.
Moyagoleele walked away 1-0 winners courtesy of ‘Too Longer’s’ penalty conversion.
The 24-year-old hit a barren run in the next two games, but got his second of the tournament in the second leg win over Township Rollers at the National Stadium.
He had missed a penalty earlier, but redeemed himself with a beautifully struck goal from miles outside the box.
Sembowa on the other hand, did not have the best start to this year’s tournament as he started the quarterfinals from the bench with Patrick Kaunda preferred over him by coach, Miguel da Costa.
The striker remained without a goal until the second leg of the semifinals when he notched in a brace against BDF XI.
He struck to the bottom corner in the first half before easily tapping in Thero Setsile’s cross in the second to smoothen Galaxy’s road to the final where they ran out 3-1 victors on aggregate.
Like Maome, the 31-year-old is gunning for his second award while he may become the first Galaxy player to walk away with the accolade.
If Maome and Sembowa fail to score tomorrow, it would be the first time for four players to share the prize.
Also in contention for the Yellow Boot are Dirang Moloi, Alphord Velaphi, Olebogeng Malebye and Setsile who all have a goal each.
Interestingly all the players who would be involved in the final could walk away with the award with a hat trick on the day.