Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)
Gale Ngakane
2 November 2009
Francistown — Debutants Motlakase caused the biggest upset so far in the be MOBILE Premier League when they humiliated defending champions, Gaborone United 4-1 at the Francistown Stadium on Saturday.
The first timers who have been winless in the league this season did it in style and could have added a fifth one if Lesego Lubinda did not slip and sprawl to the ground just when he was about to plant the ball into an empty net. The two sides sized each other up in the first 25 minutes with GU's Bosarutweng 'Booster' Magola who was later sent off in the second half, releasing Sageby Sandaka for the first chance of the match. The striker unleashed a thunderbolt which Motlakase goalkeeper, Olebile Elias parried for a corner. A few minutes later, the outstanding Eric Molebatsi delayed in finishing off a rebound from GU custodian Raphael Nthwane, allowing the Reds to clear the danger.
Motlakase struck in the 30th minute after Molebatsi sold a dummy to two defenders before passing to an unmarked Maxwell Mburayi to put the ball past Nthwane. After the goal, the minnows resorted to defending the lead and applied delaying tactics. The game went into recess with Chouka-Chouka leading 1-0. In the second half, GU appeared determined to teach Motlakase a lesson in vain. The Reds temporarily befuddled Motlakase defenders with brilliant football and the inevitable happened when Sandaka was brought down and the referee pointed to the spot. Sandaka picked himself up to make it 1-1.
However after the penalty, Chouka-Chouka recovered their composure and started pressing forward. Hillary Madzivanyika came close to scoring in the 50th minute in a one-on-one with Nthwane who however clasped the shot. Motlakase upped the tempo and got the second goal through Madzivanyika in the 70th minute. The striker pounced on a lose ball halfway to the danger area and unleashed a pile driver that gave Nthwane no chance. GU tried to push forward but got hit when Mojamorago Radiphophi scored after collecting a pass from Lubinda on the left and outsmarting the GU defence to shoot past an advancing Nthwane.
The humiliation was completed in the dying minutes when Lubinda scored the fourth goal. The player realised that Nthwane had left his line and sent a missile from the centre of the field straight into an empty net to complete a resounding rout of the defending champions.
GU coach, Mike Sithole attributed the heavy thumping to loss of composure following the sending off of Magola. He explained that his boys were tired after playing an energy-sapping game on Wednesday against another debutant, Killer Giants. He was not happy with the refereeing. Motlakase stand-in coach, Benedict Bayani said this was what they have been waiting for. "We did it today. For a long time my boys have not been scoring. But it was just a matter of time," he said.
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