09 May 2024

The National Stadium is set to host the battle of the titans in the semi-finals of the Orange FA Cup tomorrow.

The games will be played as a double-header with the tenacious and defiant UB Hawks pitted against Jwaneng Galaxy in the first semi-final kick off. The second semi-final match is a tussle between Tafic and Orapa United.

Jwaneng Galaxy public relations officer Tankiso Morake said in an interview that the FA Cup had  been eluding his team.

He said winning the cup would be memorable as it would coincide with the team’s celebration of its 10th anniversary.

Even though the team plied its trade in the first division, Morake said UB Hawks was not a minnow. He said the team had fought and won against premier league giants on its voyage to reach the semi-finals.

He said UB Hawks had been doing well and it would be erroneous to treat it as a small team. Reflecting back on his team performance in the Orange FA Cup, Morake reminisced that it was eliminated by the so called small teams.

Armed with lessons from past experience, he said Jwaneng Galaxy was determined to put up a strong fight tomorrow. Also, he said all players were working hard and ready to be selected for the semi-final encounter.

Coach Basimanebotlhe Malete of UB Hawks was delighted by his team’s achievement, adding that the team defeated premier league giants in the last sixteen and quarter finals.

 He said the semi-finals of the Orange FA Cup was a historic achievement for his young team.

“I am happy that the team continue to make some historic achievements,” he said adding the ongoing season five of the Orange FA Cup started when his team was still in division one.

We started with the cup when we were at division one and gained promotion to first division south while the cup was still on. We are ready to face our opponent. We are making a name for ourselves, whoever comes our way must be prepared for a fight,” he said.

He, however, said they were aware that they would be up against a team that had been performing well locally and continentally.

Orapa United spokesperson  Emmanuel Seiphetho was equally adamant that his team was ready and determined to put up a defiant fight against TAFIC.

Seiphetho said even though TAFIC was a formidable side, with a formidable squad boosted by experienced players, it would only take a win against TAFIC for his team to reach the final of the cup.

He said the Ostriches had prepared well for the Saturday encounter.

TAFIC chairperson, Tumelo Toteng said the team was ready and determined to win against Orapa United.

“We have a full squad and ready for the semi-finals,” he said.

Toteng said despite losing the past three leg encounters, the team had been doing well in the cup and was determined to carry the momentum into the semi-finals.

He said the last time TAFIC reached semi-final stage in the Orange FA Cup was in 2002, finishing in the last 16 in the past three editions of the cup. ENDS