29 May 2023

Gaborone United and Orapa United are through to the exciting Orange FA Cup final billed for June 10.

Gaborone United aka Moyagoleele or The Reds progressed to the cup final after defeating traditional city rivals, Township Rollers 1-0 via a sixth minute Mpho Kgaswane scorcher at the National Stadium on Saturday.

The Reds proved their superiority with good tactical nous from Pontsho Moloi on the GU bench and effective implementation by his galaxy of stars.

The two sides circulated the ball well in the middle of the pitch in the first five minutes, sizing each other up like champion boxers in the early rounds of a heavyweight bout. Then GU pounced.

As Rollers tried to attack, the Reds rear guard won the ball from the feet of Popa winger, Shaun Gcumeni, before quickly getting the ball forward in counter attacking transition play.

Thero Setsile played in a telling cross that reached Kgaswane who unleashed a blistering shot from the edge of the box, flying into Kabelo Dambe’s net.

Rollers tried to maintain composure and kept pressing for an equaliser.

Mogakolodi ‘Tsotso’ Ngele wiggled his way into the Reds danger zone, but saw his effort go agonisingly across goal.

In search of a second, GU saw Kgamanyane’s shot go over the bar in the 20th minute.

Moments later, a Segolame Boy speculative lob hit high goalwards nearly went in, only for GU goalkeeper, Ookeditse Semelamela, to tip the ball over the bar. Towards the end of the first half, Boy turned on the edge of the box and struck the crossbar with his shot.

In the second half, it became end to end football as the two sides fought to emerge victorious. A Simisani Mathumo shot went just wide on the hour mark, as Rollers threw numbers forward.

GU were quite stable in the middle of the park with man of the match Mothusi ‘Mini’ Cooper dictating terms.

For Rollers, Ngele was most lively in the final 20 minutes of the contest, working hard to claw the Blues back into a tie.

Late on, Dambe used his feet to block a close range Kgamanyane shot.
 It ended 1-0 to GU, who won Gaborone city bragging rights by defeating their old rivals for the second week in a row and having outwitted Popa the week before in a league match in Lobatse.

Meanwhile, Orapa United booked their seat in the final after a 4-3 penalty shootout victory against Masitaoka. ENDS