Lobatse derby is here

TSHEPO MOLWANE
Staff Writer | Friday January 8, 2010 00:00

 

After starting the current league campaign on fire, Gunners are clear favourites to send their blood rivals to the cleaners. Mapantsula have shocked many people in the football fraternity with their early season form, which have seen them going into Christmas break sitting on an unfamiliar second position. Gunners have 27 points from 13 games, seven points adrift of log leaders Township Rollers. BMC have only managed to collect six points from 13 games and this has put pressure on new coach Mike 'Dubula' Sithole.

In a long time, Gunners are counted as early league contenders and they cannot be blamed for thinking that the league is there for the taking. It will be interesting to see if the festive break has not affected them and Ezinkomo will provide the perfect test.

Though BMC are languishing at the bottom of the 16-team log, in the past, derbies have proven that current form counts for nothing. The young and old of Lobatse know that if their side loses, they will become the laughing stock in the town for the coming weeks.

For Gunners' coach Daniel 'Chicco' Nare, this is one game which haunts him because he is an employee of BMC. In an interview with Mmegi Sport yesterday, Nare said that their approach is going to be the main factor. He said that it will be suicidal for them to think that they are favourites since they are above BMC. 'The fact that BMC are struggling will make them dangerous. We'll have to be on alert throughout the 90 minutes. The Christmas break might compromise the quality of the game but we'll give our best shot,' he said. Nare called on their supporters to attend the game in large numbers because they motivate the players to do their best. In their last game played at the Lobatse Stadium on December 19, Gunners shocked many people when they hammered their hoodoo side ECCO City Greens 3-0. Coach Nare will expect his players to pick up pieces and continue where they left off. Gunners have their full squad except their Zambian top scorer Bernard Semakwezi who has not returned from the Christmas holidays.

BMC coach Sithole has been involved in fierce derbies before coming to Botswana and said that he knows what to expect from this game. Though BMC are not doing well, the Zambian tactician claims that he is under no pressure. He is confident that few wins will take his side out of the mess.

'I like challenges and being in that situation motivates me. As for the derby, everyone seems to be focused in training and they understand what is expected from them. We'll take Gunners like any other side and hopefully at the end of the day we'll be celebrating,' he said. In a bid to get out of the relegation zone, BMC have signed former Zambian international striker Owen Mwendabai. They have also brought into their camp former Mochudi Centre Chiefs' duo Derrick Ntumba-Badibanga and Aaron Kale. If all goes according to plan, Sithole hopes to use them against Gunners. Kick off is at 4pm.