Confident Zebras waylay Mauritania
Koketso Kgoboge | Friday June 9, 2017 15:56
The encounter is the AFCON qualification opener for Group One that is also inclusive of Angola and Burkina Faso. Kick off is 3.30pm. Since moving here back in October 2015, the Zebras turned the Francistown Sports Complex into a slaughterhouse that saw them slay giants such as Burkina Faso, Mali and lightweights Eritrea and Comoros.
The Zebras’ Francistown clean record was dealt a blow by the Ugandans who came here and escaped with a 2-1 win in a feisty contest that also diminished the hopes of Botswana qualifying for the 2017 AFCON tournament that was held in Gabon. Since then, the Zebras have not returned to Francistown after being out of action for sometime. Their last game in Botswana was last year during the BOT5O friendly against Angola played at the National Stadium in Gaborone. After that, the national team went into a dry six months without action. They returned to action against the Democratic Republic of Congo in Morocco on Monday and lost 2-0 in a friendly played in Morocco.
The team was in a weeklong camp in Rabat, Morocco preparing for the impending clash against Mauritania. They arrived on Wednesday evening to join others who did not make it to Rabat because of unsorted visas.
The team assistant coach, Boyo ‘Oris’ Radipotsane said although the preparations were brief, taking them to Morocco was a masterstroke. He said the squad is injury free and the players show a lot of hunger not only for the game, but also for qualifying for AFCON. He said they have done their homework on Mauritania and they are hopeful for a positive result.
“We had the best training facilities in Morocco and it helped us prepare well for our opponents. We were close to where they (Mauritania) come from and we have managed to get pointers on how they play their game. We also watched them against South Africa and we know what they pose,” he said.
“We have a full squad for this game. We are lucky to have not picked knocks in our last friendly game. We are expecting a lot from this group. They are showing a lot of hunger to qualify for AFCON and they are playing a good attacking football; combinations have improved.”
The Zebras will be pinning their hopes on Mogakolodi Ngele to be on top of his game in the attacking midfield. The star midfielder has been on top form in the closing of the season at Bidvest Wits after a return from injury. He scored decisive goals to help his side clinch the ABSA Premiership.
It will also be exciting upfront when Thabang Sesinyi re-unites with his former Orapa United teammate Onkabetse Makgantai. The pair has always been a thorn in the flesh of many defenders both at club and national levels in the past. In the centre of the park, the experience of Ofentse Nato and Lesego Galenamotlhale will be put to test. However, Les Mourabitones is no walk in the park. The West Africans’ strength is in the midfield where they boast of players that ply their trade in Europe and Africa’s top leagues.
Three of the midfielders Adama Ba, Abdoul Ba and Diallo Guidileye play in Ligue 2 in France for Club Auxerre, RC Lens and AS Nancy respectively. El Hacen El Id plays at Levante, Spain and Khasa Camara in the Greek Super league with Club Xanthi. Their star player Cheikh Moulaye Ahmed plays in the Algerian Ligue 1 with CS Constantine. The Zebras will look to capitalise on the poor away record of the Les Mourabitones. The visitors last won their away game back in May 2015 when they beat Gabon 2-0.
And since then they have lost four games and drew two on the road where they conceded 11 goals and scored two goals. The unwavering spirit of the noisy supporters in Francistown will be vital in pushing the Zebras to a great start of the qualifiers at home.