Attention shifts to Coke semis draw

FREDERICK KEBADIRETSE
Staff Writer | Friday March 25, 2011 00:00

The draw is scheduled for 12:30pm. So far, 60 clubs have been booted out of the country's premier knockout competition with only four left to chase the P500, 000 first prize.

With defending champions Township Rollers out, only two crowd pullers, Extension Gunners and Mochudi Centre Chiefs, are still in contention. It will be an all-Premier League affair as the two popular sides are joined by 2009 champions, Uniao Flamengo Santos and Palapye minnows, Motlakase, who are in the semi-finals for the first time. Gunners knocked-out two Premier League clubs en-route to the semi-finals while Chiefs had to brush aside minnows, Kanye Swallows, in the Last 16 before labouring against BDF XI to reach the semis.

Chiefs stand out as favourites to lift the cup they first won in 2008. Magosi have been consistent performers in the cup competition appearing twice in the finals in the last three years.

But Chiefs will be aware of the shock that the competition produces as Rollers can testify. Most fans expected Rollers to progress at the expense of Santos but the Gabane side brew a shocker. Santos poses a threat to any side and their play of late, under the guidance of George Mogopodi, has been fluid.

The youthful Gabane side has shown in recent years that they are a force to reckon with, especially in the Coke Cup. They lost the 2008 finals to Chiefs before claiming the cup the following year to represent the country in the CAF Confederations Cup. Santos currently play one of the best counter-attacking soccer spearheaded by the Ngele brothers, Godfrey and Mogakolodi. They remain favourites to proceed to the finals after knocking out two giants, Gaborone United (GU) and Rollers.

Gunners and Motlakase go into the semis as underdogs and this might work for them in the cup competition. The Lobatse giants reached the semi-finals in the previous edition where they bowed out to Chiefs. If they face Chiefs again, they would not want to lose to the same team at the same stage of the competition twice. Both Gunners and Motlakase are struggling in the league and the Coke Cup is their only hope of silverware this season. The semi-finals will be played in a fortnight with the final slated for April 30.