The new season has been full of twists and turns, with surprises emerging from the opening rounds. It began with Extension Gunners stunning pre-season favourites Mochudi Centre Chiefs 1-0, setting the tone for a campaign in which reputations have counted for little. Matebele FC, a team that could have been campaigning in the lower divisions after an unsuccessful bid to sell off its status last season, delivered a killer blow to Rollers at the GU Stadium. Rollers had many positives to take from a pre-season riddled with player exodus amid financial concerns.
Then sponsors came flooding in, reigniting hopes amongst the Blue Nation that the glory days were on their way. But Sunday's defeat was deflating and has punctured those hopes, as Matebele made a mockery of Rollers' fast start. The record league champions were the fastest off the blocks, with a Thembalani Majingo goal in the 38th minute. Rollers thought they were on their way to a routine victory, but a youthful Matebele side had other ideas. Rollers were pegged back when Matebele hit them on the counter, with Leago Masisi levelling the ledger two minutes before the break. It then became a Boitshepo Mogome show, with the forward scoring a stunning second-half hat-trick to condemn Popa to their second defeat of the season. Captain Marcel Papama, who started on the bench, scored Rollers' second goal in the dying minutes of the game. With the defeat, Rollers dropped to 11th, while Matebele moved off the foot of the table to 13th with four points. Rollers interim coach, Oupa Kowa described the afternoon as a 'horrible day at the office'.
