Bubbling Chouka Chokes Characterless Morupule
Koketso Kgoboge | Monday October 15, 2018 12:46
The clash was a case of a student returning to haunt his former mentor. Motlakase’s long-term head coach, Pule Mogotsi and goalkeeper coach, Segakolodi Ntime, the duo that fashioned the core of the Chouka, for the first time sat on the opposing bench after crossing to Morupule in the offseason.Although they knew all of the players in the opposite first 11, Mogotsi and his new side were found wanting from the onset.
Motlakase proved to be full of life from the first whistle as under the opening minute they were already knocking on their opponents’ goalpost. A minute into the game, Samuel Makgoro combined well with Itumeleng Mabuaaeme, taking the defender inside the box, but the latter’s shot to the far post went inches from the upright.They continued forcing Morupule on the back foot with constant attacks. In one such invasion, on the ninth minute, Kago Kwena saw his well-connected header towards the top left finger tipped over the bar.Morupule’s first attempt at the other end came in the quarter-hour mark from a long free kick that the Chouka goalkeeper made a mess of, but his defenders were alert to clear the danger.Motlakase’s pressing play hurried Morupule on the ball and the hosts failed to link two passes. They resorted to pumping the balls up front, which Chouka’s defence calmly collected and started their play from the back.On the half-hour mark, Chouka’s dribbling wizard, Mabuaaeme received from the left, and cutting into the box, his attempted shot was handled by a defender and the referee pointed to the spot.
Thapelo Chabalala made no mistake from the resulting spot kick and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to make it 1-0 before the break.From the dugout, Morupule had a much-improved game plan as they were more pressing and forcing Motlakase into their half. They worked from the wings, but their last balls were not crisp. As the half grew older, both sides cancelled each other out in the middle of the park. Motlakase seemed content to play a waiting game and caught Morupule with counterattacks. Chouka coach, Letlhogile Seoforeng said the plan was to lure Morupule defenders halfway and exploit their lack of pace. “We realised that they were heavy at the back, and they would crack, so we decided to sit a bit and pounce when they least expected and we were spot-on,” he said.
His plan paid dividends on the 62nd minute when Kabo Rasuping snatched a ball from the midfield and released Mabuaaeme on the right wing. The latter drove into the box and laid a low cross to Matlolo at the far end, and the left-winger drilled into the roof of the net to make it 2-0. The goal exterminated Morupule’s rhythm, and they were back to the chasing game. Matlolo could have made it 3-0 when he was one-on-one with the defender in the box, but his indecision let him down. Makgoro’s skied his last minute volleyball. Mogotsi said he warned his new boys to be wary of the danger Chouka posed.
“I knew their game plan, I explained to my players the individual characters of our opponents, and I warned that Motlakase played a high-intensity game, but we allowed them to settle and they shocked my players,” he said.
The teams:
Morupule: Ontiretse Kolobe, Katlego Mpoeleng, Lesego Matoteng, Thopo Motweng, Tshepo Baipoledi (Boitshepo Moalosi), Tebogo Moroka, Comfort Dikupa, Thabo Wetshoemang, Kemo Pumkin (Onkgolotse Senatla), Thatayaone Magazi, Kgololo Kgogobi
Motlakase: Molaodi Aron, Odirile Gabaleswe, Kemiso Nswazi, Tshephang Boithatelo, Kwena, Ronny Leagetse, Rasuping, Matlolo (Masego Botumile), Chabalala (Gaotlhobogwe Molemisi), Makgoro, Mabuaaeme (Olebogeng Madimabe)
Cautions: Motweng, Dikupa,Botumile, Leagetse