09 Oct 2022

BDF XI made their intentions clear ahead of this season’s top flight league contest by thrashing Township Rollers 4-0 in a four-team pre-season tournament in Molepolole on Saturday.

Other teams that featured in the well-attended pre-season tournament included Thamaga Shooting Stars and Majweng.

BDF XI inched past Majweng by 3-1 victory in the first game while Shooting Stars succumbed to a 1-6 drubbing from Rollers.

The results from the two semi-finals pitted the two premier league teams against each other in a final match that was played under scorching heat.

Matebele, as BDF XI are fondly known in football circles, got off to a great start with excellent link up play in the middle of the park.

Rollers, nicknamed Mapalasetina, looked confused from the first whistle and their hardworking midfielder Shaun Gcumeni failed to provide the link to their attackers.

Gcumeni appeared to have picked a knock and was later replaced by Edwin Moalosi.

BDF XI’s attacking play presented chance after chance, but Kabelo Dambe in Rollers’ goal dealt with any threat in the opening shots.

Matebele’s attacker, Thabo Metlhayotlhe, opened the score sheet when he chipped a spot kick past Dambe.

Rollers had conceded a penalty after defender, Thabo Babui, was adjudged to have illegally stopped a goal bound Mbonisi Ncube.

On stroke of the first half, Ncube opened his account with a curling shot after dispossessing Babui in his own box.

The youngster had a bad day at office failing to deal with the marauding Matebele attackers and committing mistakes.

 He was finally substituted and replaced with Aaron Marc Dion.

Segolame Boy, who was introduced to replace Denver Meyer added momentum to Rollers attack.

The only concrete chance that fell to him was a cleverly flicked header from a curling Onkarabile Ratanang’s free kick but was comfortably dealt with by Kagiso Matlou in Matebele’s goal line.

Boy was also involved in another Rollers counter attack. After a neat interplay with Mogakolodi Ngele, he floated a telling pass to Terry Uiseb who missed from close range.

Godfrey Tauyatswala came off the bench and bagged a brace to send the game beyond Rollers reach. 

Dambe failed to deal with danger from a lofted free kick and the ball dropped to an advancing Tauyatswala to open his account.

Moments later, the lanky marksman snarled through a couple of defenders before unleashing a low shot past Dambe to send his technical team into wild raptures and put the game beyond Rollers reach. BOPA