02 May 2022

Gaborone United advanced to Orange FA Cup semifinals after whitewashing Francistown based Calendar Stars by a wide margin of 5-0 in Francistown on Friday.

The Money Machine, as the team is affectionately known in football cycles, made their intention known early as Mpho Kgaswane scored the first goal for the Reds some seconds after the game kicked off.

Unfazed by their hosts, Kennedy Amutenya increased his team’s lead scoring a second goal a few minutes later, which left Moyagoleele’s followers in a jubilant mood.

In the second half, Calendar Starts came back as an organised squad and on a high note, gaining confidence by exchanging great passes, but struggling to break the Red’s defence.

GU’s substituted Karabo Phiri for Thero Setsile gave the home side a hard time, his attacking tactics disorganised and left Calendar Stars defence in chaos.  

Setsile was Calendar Stars’ undoing as he changed the complexion of the game.  

He continued to hammer from the edge, receiving telling passes from Amutenya and struck twice in the 82 and 87 minutes.

Matlhogonolo Manko made a serious blunder inside the box when he deflected GU’s Mothusi Johnson’s cross into an own goal.

In a post-match interview, GU Coach Innocent Morapedi said though they won the game, his side  failed to utilise many chances they created.

He, however, attributed this to fatigue as his team had another game in the South.

Morapedi said he had his own structure and planned to win the game, which was striking from far.

The coach said the secret to make it in a cup game was by scoring more goals against playing professional football.

He said the Reds squandered chances that could have stretched their lead as Kekaetswe Moloi, Phiri and Thatayaone Ramatlapeng attempts went to waste.

Calendar Stars Coach, Vincent Chikumba said his boys might have been intimidated by GU’s early goal, which was not anticipated.

Chikumba said despite his side getting into the 18 metre box, they failed to covert good passes into the net, adding that the game was a learning curve for his team. BOPA