20 Nov 2024

Former senior national football team, the Zebras coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa has expressed his happiness with the team’s qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to be hosted by Morocco next year.

Da Rosa was at the helm when the campaign started and said the feat was not shocking because the team was united and knew what they wanted.

“I will attend one of their games in Morocco. I love the Zebras and will forever remain in my heart,” he said.

Former Zebras hardtackling defensive midfielder, Mogogi ‘Gino’ Gabonamong said the development on its own was a great achievement.

“That alone should motivate us as a nation to do better in terms of development. We should not put too much pressure or raise our hopes too much at the final. What we need to see is how far we can go and then come back home and work on our strength and weakness,” he said.

Former Township Rollers managing director, Somerset Gobuiwang said the wait had been long for the Zebras to at least qualify for AFCON for the second time, after competing at in the 2012 edition.

“But then again, if it means we have to wait for 12 years for our next qualification, it means we are not doing something right. This therefore, means we should go back to the cross roads and concentrate on the grassroots,” he said.

Gobuiwang said preparations should now start, so that the Zebras could positively compete with other teams in Morocco.

Sunday Standard sport editor, who has been following the Zebras throughout the qualification, Botlhale Koothopile said qualifying for AFCON meant a lot more.

“In the midst of the doom and gloom brought on us by the failing economy, sport gave us hope. I believe the performances of our athletes and other young Batswana sustained and fueled us with a lot of optimism this year. This has been a remarkable year for Botswana,” he said.

Furthermore, he said it had been 12 years since the Zebras made Batswana happy like they did, adding that incidentally, it coincided with a time when the local league was gaining momentum.

“If you look back, when we qualified back in 2012, our league had just started going on an upward trajectory as it had for the first time managed to get good sponsors,” he said.

Koothopile said in the immediate years that followed Botswana’s first qualification, the league grew to be among the best in the continent.

“Unfortunately, we lost our way, our league regressed, and as expected, the Zebras suffered. Our league is now back on track, and Zebras is also now getting its stripes back. This is no coincidence,” he said.

Koothupile said a strong league is a necessity for success in football and believed that with  the local top league gaining momentum, they can expect better results from the Zebras. Ends