03 Apr 2022

BDF XI supporters, clad in white and green team regalia, entered Obed Itani Chilume Stadium from the southern stands in song and dance before settling at the east stand, marking start of the one-day Mascom Charity Cup.

They continued with their jovial mood even after their team was knocked out from the tournament.

It was a specticular showpiece even though a few supporters attended and they were sparsely distributed around the stadium.

While the BDF supporters revved their boys in song and dance, those of Security Systems, who were clad in their dominantly red shirts sang rather inaudibly at the southern stands.

However, Systems eventually booted out Matebele, a BDF sobriquet, in the first game.

While the first game was on, some patches of Gaborone United supporters, clad in their red and white colours, kept trickling in at the east and west stands to help a show that looked to have been struggling against attracting multitudes. Gaborone United eventually lost to Orapa United in the second game. Despite the loss, BDF XI coach, Letang ‘Rasta’ Kgengwenyane, said he was satisfied with the tournament.

He said Mascom had done its assignment and needed fans’ undying support regardless of the teams they supported.

Kgengwenyane said supporters should have filled the stadium in the spirit of developing football.

“We shouldn’t turn our football into a mockery and disfranchise it as it is happening now,” he added.

While he conceded that shows such as Franco’s Soul Fill Up in Gaborone could have contributed in few supporters attending the games, winning coach Mogomotsi ‘Teenage’ Mpote of Orapa United believed the charity show ‘was only good for preseason.’

“Of course the supporters didn’t pitch up in the numbers anticipated, but the attendance was satisfactory,” said the champion coach whose team defeated Security Systems in the final.

Mpote, who held Mascom in high regards in terms of advertising, said the tournament could have been better. He suggested that Mascom should consider engaging musicians and alcohol traders in future.

Orapa United won the charity cup and walked away with a P250 000 cheque. BDF’s Godfrey Tauyatswala etched himself in the tournament’s history books as the first to score while Orapa United’s keeper Lesenya Malapela was voted best goal-minder.

Tapiwa Nemanjiva was the overall best player. ENDS