Title challengers, Gaborone United (GU) and TAFIC would be wishing that reigning champions, Jwaneng Galaxy progress to the next round of the cup competition. The pair are involved in a nail-biting race alongside Galaxy for the P1.4 million paycheque. GU tops the log standings on 54 points, level with Galaxy whilst TAFIC are placed third, just two points behind the leading pair. It increasingly looks like a three-team race but Sua Flamingoes and Mochudi Centre Chiefs are lurking behind, five and seven points adrift respectively.
The league action resumes next week and both GU and TAFIC are catching a break whilst Galaxy will be in Gantsi in their quest for a season double defence. Galaxy face a 1, 000km round trip for their Orange FA Cup fixture against Blue Stars. The distance could take a toll on the team that has more kilometres in their legs than their fellow title challengers. Galaxy started their season with two trips to Gaborone where they played home and away matches against African Stars of Namibia in the CAF Champions League opening round. Before they hosted Orlando Pirates and travelled to Johannesburg in the second round of the continental competition. The reigning champions will after this weekend’s Orange FA Cup, have played 450 minutes of regulation play more than their title rivals. Interim head coach, Seemo Mpatane is chasing a double cup defence with a depleted squad. The team has failed to keep a fully fit squad for the entire season. At one point Galaxy had close to 10 players on the sidelines. Currently, Kutlwelo Mpolokang and Onkabetse Makgantai are chasing match sharpness whilst Omaatla Kebatho and Chicco Molefe remain on the sidelines. On the other hand, both TAFIC and GU have had the better luck compared to Galaxy despite the pair having relatively thin squads. Mpatane will keep his fingers crossed that the injury list does not grow ahead of the final four games that includes tough fixtures against GU and Township Rollers. Meanwhile, David Botlhasitse has returned to the Security Systems bench after his temporary deployment to the junior teams in the last three games. In his absence, Systems managed only three points and lost six.
