TAFIC rue wasted opportunity
Koketso Kgoboge | Tuesday February 7, 2017 15:06
TAFIC are a point ahead of Highlanders on 27 after the Saturday draw with GNT in the opening game of the First Division North. Highlanders lost 2-1 to Maun Tigers.
TAFIC mentor, Blessing Moyo was left fuming at his players after the encounter.
“This is a complete loss. We needed maximum points in our first game,” he said. “At our level and competing for the Premiership, we can’t be conceding schoolboy goals.
“The players were too relaxed in the opening minutes particularly because we won in this past fixture and when they (GNT) scored it put us under unnecessary pressure and we lost composure. However, we will bury it and move on but the lesson we should take is games are won after 90 minutes.”
The derby lived up to the billing with the two teams trading punches as early as the sixth minute. GNT were the first to break the deadlock through Godiraone Segaise, who pounced after a defensive miscommunication between Zecco Makafiri and Mmoloki Kafuku and buried.
TAFIC responded four minutes later with Motseoatile Elijah’s long range from the right flank before Segaise grabbed a brace 10 minutes later. The alert Segaise who had a field day, pounced again and slotted when TAFIC’s goalkeeper, Abednico Morapedi parried a Bollen Modise drive.
In an interesting fashion Mbatshi Machongo responded two minutes after that, rising high at the far post and redirecting Elijah’s cross into the net when GNT’s goalkeeper, Kabelo Mutumba was caught in no man’s land. The slack Mutumba was immediately substituted for Kealeboga Hubona.
From the dugout TAFIC were cruising, as they produced an avalanche of attacks and did everything right but the substitute Hubona was on high alert thwarting everything TAFIC threw at him and ensured his side takes a point home.
In other games played over the weekend, Sua Flamingoes beat Chobe United 3-1 and displaced the latter on fourth position. Struggling Satmos held ECCO City Greens to a stalemate in Selebi- Phikwe while Major David Bright’s new look Morupule Wanderers beat TASC 1-0. A game between Motlakase Power Dynamos and Real Movers was called off due to rains.