26 Nov 2023

 Thabang Sesinyi’s 33^rd minute goal against Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca in TotalEnergies CAF Champions League first round group encounter has given Jwaneng Galaxy much needed win, which placed it at the summit of Group B with three points.

The historic 1-0 away win in Casablanca, Morocco on November 25, has sent shockwaves across Africa as Galaxy recorded one of the biggest upsets in the history of the competition.

On paper, Wydad were favourites to win the clash given that they are  the three-time Africa champions, but that was not to be as Galaxy gaffer, Morena Ramoreboli had other plans.

Ramoreboli, who knew that it was not going to be easy to beat Wydad at home in front of their hordes of supporters, resorted to playing a defensive football deploying numbers at the back and catching them on counter attack.

Though the defence was shaky, Galaxy goal minder, Goitseone Phoko was equal to the task.

Ramoreboli said in an interview that their approach was the best way to start a match against such an opponent adding that they ensured that Wydad did not enjoy possession especially in their half.

He said the main aim was to avoid conceding. 

“I think we won our match from the defense strategy, which was so spot on.  We were not compromising our principles and tactics because we knew that they will push the wingers outside and bring fullback inside,” he said.

Further, he said as a way of countering the opponents strategy, they ensured that they had more numbers in their defense so that Wydad strikers could not create and get into spaces.

Ramoreboli said Sesinyi capitalised on the opponent’s mistake to net the only goal of the game something, which he said they had been practicing at training to channel and force the opponent into the area so that they could easily put pressure on and win the ball.

“Wydad ended up playing a back pass from, which we scored a beautiful and very important away goal,” he said.  He said what he picked from the game was growth from the players, adding that they were composed and managed the game very well despite intense pressure they endured. Galaxy, which is making its second appearance in the group stages of the Africa Champions League, reached the 16-team group stages after beating Vipers of Uganda and South Africa’s Orlando Pirates.

Galaxy has been slotted in Group B of the competition with Wydad, Simba SC of Tanzania and Asec Mimosa of Ivory Coast.

It will play against Simba SC at Obed Itani Chilume Stadium, Francistown on Saturday. ENDS