TAFIC Trample Flamingoes To Seal Premiership Return

Koketso Kgoboge | Monday April 24, 2017 14:36

TAFIC started the game rather cautiously and watched as Flamingoes dictated possession, but the home side lacked sting upfront. It took almost a quarter-hour mark for the visitors to reach the other end and their first attempt was skied over the bar.  In their second attempt three minutes later, Kemoreng Batisani bust the dam. From outside the box, Batisani controlled a long ball from the back away from his two markers and took a pile driver into the lower bottom left. 

Flamingoes had a chance to level matters four minutes later, but Witness Livingstone unmarked from long range failed to redirect a pin point cross into the net.

Ogomoditse Bauleni sent the stadium that was overflowing with TAFIC supporters into rapture with a 26th minute second goal when he headed into the net following a scuffle that ensued from a Mbatshi Elias corner.  After the goal, TAFIC sat to see off the half.

The second half carried on in similar fashion as the first with TAFIC playing second fiddle and Flamingoes dictating. Bonolo Fraiser attempted to save the home side’s glitches 11 minutes after the restart, but saw his low drive go inches outside the foot of the bar. Elias responded with a long range effort at the other end and the goalkeeper parried out.

The second half substitute, Kago Matshoba pulled one back on the 69th minute when he headed a long cross into the net at the back post to set a nervy finish. In the five added minutes, Flamingoes threw bodies and balls upfront, TAFIC ensured they had all their men behind the ball and cleared everything wayward. The overwhelmed TAFIC coach, Elias Chinyemba said they were spot on. “We knew we had it in the bag after the two goals. We sat and saw off the game and we are back in the Premiership, now the sky is the limit. TAFIC is not just a football club, it’s a way of life,” he said flooded with emotion.

His Flamingoes counterpart, Enos Mmesi congratulated TAFIC. “We wish well for them, they sat back, caught us with counter attacks and took their chances. We did the opposite we created numerous chances and failed to make them count, it just wasn’t our day,” Mmesi said.

The line-ups

Flamingoes: Wilson Muchenje, Kagiso Tutuwe (Monametsi Tsapoga), Shanganani Ngadla, Onkarabile Tsheko, Kago Kwena, Kerapetse Mosimanekgosi, Olebogeng Sekani (Mompati Sekwa), Letlang Moathodi, Bonolo Fraiser, Witness Livingstone (Kago Matshoba), Mogomotsi Keabaitse

TAFIC: Abednico Morapedi, Motseoatlile Elijah, Mmoloki Kafuku, Ronald Selemane, Zeco Makafiri, Molebatsi Kangwangwani, Mbatshi Elias (Simbarashe Sithole), Ogomoditse Bauleni, Kemoreng Batisani (Opoga Dakesha), Rodney Buka (Uyapo Thibathuwe), Mbatshi Machongo 

Cautions: Tsheko, Batisani, Sithole

Sua Flamingoes 1 (Matshoba 69th)

TAFIC 2 (Batisani 18th, Bauleni 26th)