A new investor brings an aura of hope to any football side and the excitement is expected to spark good performances on the pitch.
The fans in the black and white side of Lobatse will hope their team, Extension Gunners, get maximum points when they host traditional rivals, Mochudi Centre Chiefs, in an FNB Premiership encounter on Saturday afternoon. The two teams, that ushered in new investors, will do battle at the Lobatse Sports Complex. The home side, Gunners, announced their partnership with South African businessman, Chief Ally Kgomongwe, on Wednesday. The mogul was previously with Mbabane Highlanders in Eswatini and his deep pockets are expected to keep the Gunners ship afloat. Chiefs, on the other hand, welcomed Stanton Fredericks Sports Group as their new partner last Thursday.
Magosi began the new era with a 1-0 win over Nico United in a league match played on Sunday. It is a completely different scenario as the two were campaigning in the dusty grounds of the First Division just a year ago. In their last encounter, Gunners beat Chiefs 2-0 in the second-tier match played at the Lobatse Council Stadium last year April. The mood in the Mapantsula camp is low and Kgomongwe's addition could help turn their season around. The sleeping giants lie in the relegation zone in position 14 with 11 points after 13 games. It was not the beginning that Mapantsula anticipated when the 2024-2025 league began following their relegation from the top flight for the first time in their history during the 2022-2023 season. The team is on a three-game winless run, with only one victory in the last 10 league games. Gunners have only kept a clean sheet once in the 10 games, a 0-0 draw against second-bottom-placed, Chadibe FC last Sunday. It would be a sore point for Gunners to drop back to the second tier, less than a year after returning to the top flight. As the FNB Premiership hits the halfway mark this weekend, Gunners will be aiming for a win over Chiefs. It remains to be seen whether Mapantsula will artfully dodge the dreaded relegation axe at the end of the season.
After the end of the game against Chadibe, Gunners coach, Proper Monnawanoka, was not assuring when asked about the team's prospects of avoiding relegation. "I would not like to talk about the buying of status that kept Gunners in the Premier League. The onus of making sure that the team remains in the top flight lies with all its stakeholders. We need to do the needful in order to avoid relegation. Going forward, I think that we should convert the chances that we create to win games. We need to put more emphasis on converting the multiple chances that we create," said Monnawanoka. Magosi also returned to the top flight under the same conditions as their weekend rivals. However, the Kgatleng giants have had a better return as they have kept up with the pacesetters. Chiefs are placed fifth, just five points away from the leaders, TAFIC. Magosi had their season disturbed as the club lost some of its influential players who had joined the team on loan but have since returned to their parent clubs.
The return of Pontsho Moloi could ignite the championship spirit on Chiefs' side. Moloi is already in the market with some of his former players at Gaborone United (GU) eyeing to boost Chiefs. Magosi returned to winning ways last weekend and Moloi would be eager to start his return with a win over his former side, Gunners.
In other games, VTM FC host GU at home in the VTM Arena as Nico United travel to Sowa Town Council Stadium to take on Sua Flamingoes. Matebele FC are away for a contest with TAFIC at the Francistown Council Stadium as Morupule Wanderers and Chadibe clash at the Palapye Stadium. Township Rollers are home to Security Systems at the Royal Aria Stadium. Champions, Jwaneng Galaxy, take on BDF XI on Sunday afternoon as Flamengo Santos take a weekend off due to Orapa United's CAF Confederations Cup engagement.