01 Aug 2022

The senior national football team, Zebras, proceeded to the next round of the CHAN qualifiers after playing to a two-all draw with eSwatini on Sunday.

Godfrey Tauyatswalwa and Thero Setsile netted for Botswana while eSwatini’s Gamedze Dlamini and Mamba Fanelo scored for the hosts.

Therefore, the Zebras proceed on an ‘away goal rule’.  Next on the Zebras menu will be Madagascar later this month.

In an interview, coach Mogomotsi ‘Teenage’ Mpote commended his players for coming from behind to level matters.

He said it was not an easy game, adding eSwatini was a hard nut to crack even in their previous encounters. “When preparing for Libya, we played a friendly game with them and we won 1-0. In COSAFA, we won 2-0 and during our CHAN game in Francistown they came with guns blazing and we played to a zero all-draw. In that game, our mission was to win 1-0 or play a goalless draw,” he said.

Mpote said before the weekend game, he cautioned players that eSwatini would want to win the game at all costs.

The strategy was to make them defend because ‘if we sat back, they would come and hurt us.  We approached the game knowing that we were in a neutral ground because eSwatini was playing away from home (Durban, South Africa),” he said.

Mpote said his charges played according to the game plan. He said he picked some mistakes to correct from his side, adding some of the players were making their debut. He said they were now getting ready for Madagascar, which he described as a strong side. The intention, he added, was to qualify for CHAN finals. ENDS