21 Aug 2023

Orapa United emerged this year champions of the Carlos Sebina (CS) soccer challenge after humiliating Morupule Wanderers 2-0 in the finals on Saturday.

The Orapa-based team took the reins of the prestigious cup from Francistown-based outfit, Calendar Stars who won it last year.

United went home P25 000 richer after walloping Calendar Stars 2-0 to make it to the finals whilst Wanderers humiliated Chadibe FC 4-1 in a penalty shoot-out after the duo played to a goalless draw during full-time.

In the finals, United dominated the first segment of the game, pilling a lot of pressure on their opponents although they failed to score.

The two teams went to recess with an all-nil draw.

In the second stanza of the match, United still returned an organised lot, creating clear-cut chances until Tshepo Malegasi registered the first goal in the 66th minute after receiving a telling cross.

Ten minutes later, Eric Ookame scored the second goal and put the last nail in the coffin before the match referee called it a day.

Meanwhile, top goal scorer of the tournament is Kelvin Bingala of United who went home P1 000 richer.Lesenya Malapela of United was declared goalkeeper of the tournament and won P750.

Koketso Majafi of United scooped the title of the best player of the tournament with Tsholofelo Speakson of Wanderers is the tournament’s best young player and won P750.

In addition to prize money,  United was also awarded P2 500 for laundry whilst their second runner-up, Wanderers got P1 000 for transportation.

All the six social clubs that participated in the tournament received P1 000 as consolation prizes.

United Coach, Gadimang Tiiso said it was pleasing to see local businesspersons in the likes of Carlos Sebina, the brainchild behind the tournament, channeling their resources towards the development of football, which he said was a welcome development.

He explained that this was the second tournament this season that his team took part in, the first being the northern big six.

Morupule Wonderers coach, Zachariah Muzadzi also commended the tournament organisers for helping discover talent at the grassroots level.

He said though his team lost, it was a learning curve for his lads to have played in the tournament.

“Let me appeal to other companies to rally behind the CS soccer challenge so that it achieves its intended goals,” he said. ENDS