Motlakase blow title race wide open
Koketso Kgoboge | Wednesday April 5, 2017 15:59
Chouka’s weekend win reduced the deficit at the top to two points with two fixtures remaining. TAFIC lead the race with 43 points and a three-goal advantage over Chouka.
TAFIC went to Palapye and packed the Palapye Swallows ground in search of three points that would have ensured a return to the top league in a six-pointer fixture.
Chouka was awake to the challenge and William Onkgopotse sent a warning when he drew first blood with a delicate loop over an advancing TAFIC goalkeeper in the opening half.
Kemoreng Batisani restored hopes with an equaliser immediately after the break. Batisani capitalised from a goalkeeping error when he headed over the keeper into an empty net when the latter unnecessarily left his goal line.
Substitute Thapelo Chabalala silenced the exuberant Matjimenyenga noises with a second when he pounced on a blocked Itumeleng Mabuaaeme shot and buried.
Mabuaaeme ensured champagnes are put on ice until the last fixture of the league when he drilled a rocket into the roof of the net in the closing stages of the game.
In their remaining two fixtures, both TAFIC and Motlakase face a tricky third-placed Sua Flamingoes who are also within reach of the top spot on 39 points and still have three fixtures remaining. Flamingoes narrowly beat ECCO City Greens 1-0 in Francistown.
BR Highlanders dreams of fighting for the top spot diminished after Chobe United held them to a stalemate in Mahalapye. Boyo Radipotsane’s men at 34 points, also with three fixtures to play still have an outside chance of finishing in second place.
Meanwhile, the weekend results confirmed TASC are the second victims of the chop after Real Movers edged them 1-0. TASC can only finish on 17 points, which is third from bottom.
The battle at the bottom now remains amongst Real Movers, Morupule Wanderers and GNT. Maun Tigers have a slim chance but will have to win all their remaining fixtures and pray the three lose all theirs.
The win against TASC took Movers three points away from the relentless Wanderers and GNT who are feeling the brunt. The two sides are on 24 points and Wanderers are above with a goal advantage.
GNT, who sit a position above the red zone, came from back to back wins against Highlanders and TASC to beat Maun Tigers 3-1.
Major David Bright’s Wanderers, a position above GNT, took advantage of the already relegated Satmos with a 4-1 rout in Selebi-Phikwe.