The men who carry the nation's hopes

MQONDISI DUBE
Staff Writer | Wednesday November 17, 2010 00:00

 

He featured prominently during Veselin Jelusic's reign when the Zebras' popularity soared to an all-time high. He is a commanding figure with the ability to block shots from point blank range. His main undoing is conceding soft goals. In the current campaign, he has let in easy goals against Malawi and Chad. Overall, Marumo remains a hugely influential figure in the team. He knows the North African game having played in Egypt.

Mompati 'Apache' Thuma Thuma has been the unsung hero in the Zebras defence. 'Legs of steel' is a tough defender who does well in one-on-one situations. His leadership at the back has seen the team concede just two goals in four games. Thuma will do well to start playing from the back rather than booting balls upfront.

Ofentse 'Size 10' NatoThe youngster burst into the scene last season and immediately asserted his authority in the Gaborone United midfield. He won his first cap under Tshosane and has never looked back. He played a blinder against Togo in September and his confidence is sky high. His biggest asset is his long range passing and high work rate. Tunisia is littered with professionals playing abroad and it will be interesting to see how Nato responds to the challenge they pose in midfield.

Diphetogo 'Dipsy' Selolwane A veteran of many battles, Selolwane is a true professional who has the respect of his colleagues. He can attack and defend but his main asset is his deadly instinct in front of goal. He has proved to be a valuable asset for his club, Supersport United with some clinical finishes. He is expected to guide the side with experience earned from years playing in the United States and South Africa.

Dirang 'Malam' MoloiThe dazzling midfielder has excellent vision and good dribbling skills. He has already shown that he can stand the heat in the South African Premiership. When on song, Moloi can single-handedly win a game. The only concern is that he has not transferred his club form to the national team.

Phenyo 'Kideo' MongalaThe trickery of Mongala on the left wing, coupled with the pace of Joel Mogorosi on the right could give the Tunisians a tough afternoon. Mongala has pace and enjoys running at defenders. He possesses a rare talent of crossing the ball while at full speed. He has scored one goal in the qualifiers.

Jerome 'JJ' RamatlhakwanaHe has incredible strength and is the Zebras' leading goal scorer in the qualifiers with three goals. Ramatlhakwana's inclusion in the national team set tongues wagging as he has seen little action at club level. But the former Mochudi Centre Chiefs forward has responded well popping up to score crucial goals for the national team. He has a good shot and can hold the ball.

Stanley Tshosane His tactics will be crucial in this big encounter. In Tunisia, some critics argued the home side was complacent in its approach, which gifted the Zebras the win. Against Chad, his detractors said the team had played boring football in a drab 1-0 win and therefore credit went to Phenyo Mongalo for the long range effort that settled the match. In Malawi, the media showered goalkeeper, Marumo with praises for his heroics without mentioning the coach. Against Togo, there was shape and Tshosane got due credit. But some argued Togo were too flat on the day. Today's encounter will without doubt test Tshosane's tactical acumen. The Tunisians are determined, quick and do not waste time on the ball. They play a clever passing game and it is up to Tshosane to respond with the right formation and tactics.