FRANCISTOWN: TAFIC’s coach, Elias Chinyemba, has said that anything can happen after his side drew 1-1 with defending champions Jwaneng Galaxy at the Francistown Council Stadium on Saturday.
When asked if TAFIC still has realistic chances of winning the league following the draw against Galaxy, which blew the league wide open with all top six clubs having chances of clinching it at the end of the season, Chinyemba, who usually prefers to keep his cards close to his chest, said that anything can happen. “We will take each game as it comes. We don’t have any pressure. It has happened before that teams on the top drop from their positions. We can only talk of positions at the end of the season,” said Chinyemba. TAFCI’s draw against Galaxy has left them on position two with 34 points behind Township Rollers with 36 points who won 2-1 against VTM FC also on Saturday. TAFIC opened the score line in the first half with their ferocious Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) forward, Jean Lwamba, who increased his goal tally to 10 goals and is in the golden boot race. Galaxy equalised in the second half through Thero Setsile from a long distance set piece which was also deflected by a TAFIC defender before it touched the net.
TAFIC dominated the game in all halves but they were let down by poor finishing in the final third, a factor that Chinyemba decried after the game. “We created a lot of chances. We will work on our decision making in the final third. We fluffed some chances, which we could have scored,” said Chinyemba, who praised his players for a dominant display. Galaxy coach, Pieter de Jongh, who was red carded after the game, still believes that his team has chances of defending their title. “In the second half, we changed tactically. We played the ball more aggressively and had possibilities of a second goal,” said De Jongh.
Explaining how he ended up being shown his marching orders, De Jongh said: “I wanted to give the two linesmen my hands to thank them for how they handled the game but they refused my hands and the referee gave me a red card... It’s unbelievable. The league race is still wide open. We have everything in our hands.” De Jongh’s exchange of words with the referee may have incurred the wrath of the referee. The teams: TAFIC: Thabo Dambe, Reabone Joseph, Shawn Phillip, Kemoneetswe Mmangwedi, Shanganani Ngada, Manda Nongo, Kazadi Gauthier, Theo Shadikong, Thatayaone Nkwapa, Jean Lwamba, Amogelang Reetsang Galaxy: Ryan Brown, Thabo Leinanyane, Tebogo Kopelang, Chicco Molefe, Doctor David, Tlamelo Kolagano, Nqobizitha Masuku, Gift Moyo, Gilbert Baruti, Thabang Sesinyi, Thabiso Bante