04 Apr 2023

Her ability to deal with aerial balls plus quick reflexes makes Gaborone United goal keeper, Tlamelo ‘The Super Guard’ Pheresi a cut above the rest in women football.

The shy and modest Pheresi is a resilient goalkeeper, who is not discouraged by her mistakes in a game.

The Super Guard has proven to be a dependable player who plays a key role in the team.

Colleagues and opponents  always applaud Pheresi for a job well done after every game.

Like every player, her dream is to be included in the national team.

The 26-year-old goal minder, started to play for Gaborone United in 2011 when she was doing Form One.

The Gaborone United captain’s goalkeeping ambitions started at Thebe Primary School while she was doing Standard Five, after she heard from the teacher that there was women football.

“After the team was assembled at school, no one wanted to be a goalkeeper. I gambled and I felt in love with diving. The rest is history,” she said.

Pheresi’s performance has caught a lot of people’s attention.

Mamelodi Sundowns women football team goalkeeper, Sedilame Bosija, said in an interview that Pheresi was one of the best goalkeepers in Botswana.

“Tafarell (Pheresi’s other nickname) is very brave and she is not scared of challenges. She has captain capabilities as you can see she is captaining her team with gusto,” she said.

Bosija said she had an opportunity to work with Pheresi for around six years at the Under 20 level.

She said Pheresi had been consistent with national team call up more especially when they were still at the junior level, adding that alone showed she was a quality player.

Bosija’s sentiments were shared by two Double Action goal poachers, Ontlametse Gaonyadiwe and Lesego Radiakanyo.

Gaonyadiwe said one of the toughest goalkeepers to play against in the DTCB Women’s League Division One was Pheresi.

“Her positioning and concentration in the game which also helps her to communicate with her defence, is what makes it difficult for us as strikers to easily score,” she said.

Radiakanyo said, looking at Pheresi’s height, one would have thought they could use aerial balls as their advantage, but it was difficult to beat with such balls.

“Those who don’t understand her always resort to attack her with aerial balls and that’s why they never score because she is very good in that area,” she said. ENDS