Rollers, Orapa�s costly sojourn ends in agony
Mqondisi Dube | Tuesday February 21, 2017 14:25
In some instances and in most countries, costs have proved prohibitive, forcing teams to opt out. Air travel is particularly expensive in Africa and with no immediate monetary gains, teams that exit in the early stages before the group phase have always been left licking financial wounds.
Rollers and the Ostriches’ premature end left them perusing a combined P2.5million loss. Rollers had said their preliminary round tie against Madagascar side, CNaPs would cost nearly P1 million while Debswana gave Orapa P1.5million to prepare for their Confederations Cup encounter against Mbabane Swallows.
But after two matches apiece, both clubs are back home, out and counting the losses.
Orapa found the going tough against Mbabane Swallows, who have proved invincible at their Somhlolo Stadium in Swaziland’s legislative capital, Lobamba.
But Madinda Ndlovu’s side went agonisingly close after taking a shock 2-1 lead deep into the second half, which would have seen them go through.
However, a late collapse saw the Ostriches surrender 3-2 to Swallows, which meant going out 4-2 on aggregate. Orapa had come out second best in the first leg encounter, going down 1-0 but fought bravely away from home and will be encouraged by their debut display despite the exit.
Rollers on the other hand, left thousands of their supporters in despair in a case of so-near-yet-so-far.
Popa was just one goal short of progressing to the first round but laboured against the Madagascan side.
Fans, who went to the National Stadium in good numbers, felt coach, Mogomotsi ‘Teenage’ Mpote ran out of ideas at a defining moment. The coach made the right call early in the second half when he replaced towering Senegalese, Pap Ndaw with an out of sorts Terrence Mandaza who failed to influence the game.
But Mpote, despite his side chasing the game, took far too long to make the second and third substitutions, when he gave Joel Mogorosi and Ntesang ‘Mirror’ Simanyana only five minutes to turn the tie around.
However, as expected, the duo failed to have any impact as they hardly touched the ball with CNaPs comfortably seeing out the remaining minutes in a frustrating afternoon for the hosts.
Rollers won 3-2 but went out on the away goals rule following their 2-1 loss in the first leg in Madagascar. Orapa and Rollers losses should trigger soul searching as both Madagascar and Swaziland are considered featherweights in African football.