12 Sep 2022

Gaborone United (GU) started their CAF Champions League run with a 1-0 victory over AS Vita Club of DR Congo on Sunday.

GU scored in the 36th minute, through Thero Setsile.

AS Vita tried their all in the second half, but it was never to be as GU stood their ground, quashing all the dangerous attacks.

AS Vita coach, Jeanne Shungu, described GU as a formidable side that was determined to get a positive result from the first leg.

He said they never got a chance to study their opponents prior to the match and therefore only studied them during the match.

“It is a great team. We hope to fully apply our tactics in the second leg. We have seen their strengths and weaknesses,” said Shungu.

He said the match officials were consistent in their decision making, therefore he could not fault them.

However, AS Vita coach was not happy with the ‘unpleasant welcome’ they received, but did not elaborate.

The treatment, he added, had an impact on his team’s performance and the outcome of the match.

“We started a bit slow.

The unpleasant welcome had an impact on us. 

We hope to do better in the second leg. We will have home ground advantage and the support of our loyal supporters, who will be there to push us.

Playing at home in the last leg will be an added advantage,” said Shungu.

For his part, GU coach, Benny Kgomela, said they would  travel to Kinshasa on Friday for the Sunday do or die clash.

Though impressed with the results and performance of his team, Kgomela said the second leg encounter would be a fierce battle as his team would be hunting a wounded buffalo.

However, he said the players were being trained both physically and mentally to withstand the challenges likely to prevail in the unknown territory.

“My players are disciplined, we have been working on their mental strength and that is why they were able to withstand pressure that was plied by their opponents,” he said.

Despite wasting numerous goal scoring chances, Kgomela said his team worked hard to stop AS Vita from scoring.

“I believe we have prepared our players for whatever welcome we are likely to experience in Kinshasa.

All our preparations will be done here at home,” he said.

Kgomela, however, remained positive that GU were ready to compete at the highest level, bolstered by experienced players, who traversed the African continent on national team duty.

Meanwhile, there were challenges with the availability of the National Stadium prior to the match, as it was booked for another activity.

Therefore, the venue was not accessible to the visiting team for training, for which they expressed their displeasure in a post-match press conference. ENDS