In 2023, Systems reached the FA Cup final only to lose to Gaborone United (GU) in the club's best season in the top flight. The team had finished in an all-time high fourth position in the league whilst their second-place finish in the Orange FA Cup granted the team a spot in the CAF Confederations Cup, a first in the club's history. The club, however, opted against participating in the continental competition citing high costs. Now, three years after the FA Cup final loss, Systems is very much on course to replicate their best-ever cup competition run.
Last weekend, The Alarm Boys sailed to the last eight of the Orange FA Cup through a slim 1-0 win over Uniao Flamengo Santos. The team progressed to the last eight for the second time in three years. They had to labour to a goalless draw against BDF XI in the last 32 round as they sailed to the last 16 via a 6-5 penalty shootout win. The team scored their first goal in regulation time in the competition during Sunday's 1-0 win over Santos. The cup goal scoring struggles could be traced from their league run. Systems is the fourth least scoring team with 18 goals in 26 games giving an average of 0.7 goals scored per league game. The defence has proven to be leaky as the team concedes 1.3 goals per game with a total of 36 conceded, making them the fifth worst team defensively in the league. The team might have made it to two wins in two FA Cup games but have only won five times in the league while registering 14 losses.
Speaking to MmegiSport, David 'Lefty' Bothasitse admitted the struggle to juggle the survival battle and the Orange FA Cup ambitions. Bothasitse said the team would not want to be stretched by the two competitions as he emphasised that they would take each game as it comes. "It is not about everything on the FA Cup, our concentration is to take each game as it comes. You win the next game you (immediately) look at the next fixture. So if we can cloud ourselves around too many things we would be found wanting and find ourselves in a very awkward situation like we are in now," he said. "We had to concentrate more on the cup (game) so as from today the game is gone, we forget about the cup. We are looking at the next game, which we need to do well so that we move away from the position we are in. We hope and believe that with the hard work we have been putting in, we can get the results," said Bothasitse.
Systems will turn their focus to the survival battle as they take on in form Sua Flamingoes at home at the Lobatse Sports Complex on Sunday afternoon. On the same day, BDF XI will take on Morupule Wanderers at the VTM Arena. Flamengo Santos face Mochudi Centre Chiefs on Saturday afternoon at the GU Stadium. Township Rollers and Chadibe FC clash at the Royal Aria Stadium whilst Jwaneng Galaxy take on Matebele FC at the Galaxy Stadium. TAFIC will take their championship ambitions to Itekeng Stadium where Orapa United lie in wait. GU and Nico United clash at the GU Stadium while VTM FC host Extension Gunners at the VTM Arena. All the games will kick off 3pm.
