Gaborone — Jwaneng Galaxy will face Uganda's Vipers SC in the 2023/24 season of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League preliminary round.
Jwaneng Galaxy will be the first to host their opponent on August 18 to 20 before heading out to Uganda for the second leg on August 25 to 27.
The winner between the two will face either South Africa's Orlando Pirates or Djabal FC from the Comoros on the first weekend of September.
Jwaneng Galaxy FC spokesperson, Tankiso Morake, said they were just fine with the draw.
"The draw is just fine, we cannot say anything much about it because in the Champions league you obviously expect to be drawn against another champion," he said in an inerview.
Morake said they did not know much about their opponent though, except that they got their former coach, Miguel Da Costa, from it, and that they recently hired a Brazilian coach.
"The coach brought one or two Brazilian players, but this is the team that knocked out TP Mazembe out of the CAF Champions league competitions last season, so we do not expect an easy game. Concerning our expectations on progress in the competition, we are a team that wants to be known for consistency.
We made the group stages in the last edition and that is the minimum expectation we expect this season," he said.
Morake said to beef up the squad ahead of the start of the competition, Galaxy has added a few experienced players, such as veteran striker, Omaatla Kebatho, who came in from Orapa United, goalkeeper Goitseone Phoko and Chicco Molefhe from Police XI.
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He also said established players like Wendell Rudath, Gift Moyo, Gilbert Baruti, and Thabo Leinanyane have also renewed their commitment to the team to give it a boost.
As part of preparations, Morake said Jwaneng Galaxy will take part in the Jwaneng Mine General Manager's soccer fiesta on August 4 - 6, where they have invited Bulawayo Highlanders and Bantu FC from Lesotho.
Meanwhile, comments gleamed from Vipers SC's Facebook page indicated that most supporters were aware and wary of Jwaneng galaxy's capabilities, and warned their team against any complacency.
One follower, Fikiri Mwanyika, warned: "My team Vipers, be care (sic), remember what they did to Simba SC. Jwaneng are good, make sure that you prepare well."
Another follower, Daud Barnabas, also warned his fellow supporters how Galaxy 'beat Simba like a drum' in the last CAF competition, in reference to the two-legged contest in which Galaxy lost the first game 0-2 on home soil before turning the tables against all odds in Tanzania to win 3-1 and proceed to the group stages on away goal rule.
One Petit Gabo also called Jwaneng Galaxy a giant slayer in reference to the same performance against the Tanzanian side.
Meanwhile in the preliminary round of the CAF Confederations Cup, Gaborone United have been drawn against Malagasy side, Elgeco Plus.
The preliminary round will be played on the same weekend as the CAF Champions League.
BOPA
