Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)
Tshepo Molwane
30 October 2009
Gaborone — Gaborone giants, Township Rollers face their toughest test since the be MOBILE Premier League season kicked off last month when they face a stubborn ECCO City Greens in what promises to be a cracker at the Molepolole Sports Stadium tomorrow. Kick-off is at 3.30pm.
Since the league started, Rollers have been in an uncompromising mood and lead the standings with 12 points from five games. Mapalastina's only setback this season is a 1-0 loss to Uniao Flamengo Santos but they have responded positively after the defeat.
Unlike the previous season, Rollers look fit and their players can compete until the end of a match. In their last outing against Notwane when they won 3-2, Rollers started well but nearly gave the game away.
This must have worried the technical team headed by coach Rahman Gumbo. Against ECCO, the defence led by Itai Gwandu must be alert because the Francistown side has some of the finest attackers in the league.
The good thing about Rollers is that they have been converting the chances they create this season. So far, they have rattled 13 times in five games. The combination of Terrence Mandaza and Aubrey Kebonnetse has been a menace to defenders.
Rollers' captain Thapelo 'Pepe' Balepi told Mmegi Sport yesterday that playing ECCO is going to be a difficult task. "We want to win games hence we are taking all our opponents seriously. ECCO are a strong side which has to be treated with caution and I would like to call on all our supporters to come to the game in large numbers. They (supporters) have been an inspiration for us and hopefully they will not disappoint us," he said.
ECCO who are sitting on fourth spot with eight points from four games are still unbeaten and they will be loath to see the record being broken by Rollers. In their last game, they hammered BMC 4-1 in Francistown and this should serve as a warning to Rollers. Though they will be without suspended defender Keabetswe Jenamiso, coach Max Moyo will be happy that talisman Malepa 'Chippa' Bolelang is available.
Bolelang missed the game against BMC as he was away in Zimbabwe with the Zebras for the COSAFA Senior Challenge Cup.
ECCO's leading scorer Bonolo Fraizer said that they are all focused ahead of the date with Rollers. He stated that anything is possible in a game of football. "We'll treat them with respect but we are not coming there to give away points," he said.
Fraizer dismissed the notion that they are bad travellers saying that they have scored more goals when playing away from their base. "When you are playing at home, there is always pressure hence we enjoy when we play away," he explained. The likes of Master Masuku, Mandlaenkosi Sibanda and Nicholas Mathare are some of the ECCO players who will test Mapalastina.
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