NOTWANE CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE

BY:Phodiso  Gaebepe

MOLEPOLOLE; Notwane continues to struggle in their first season in the BTC Premiership as they lost for the second time last night as they hosted Jwaneng Galaxy at Molepolole Sports Complex.

The road seems to be tougher for Toronto as they only won one game, lost two and drew two. However the Toronto boys brought their A- game against Galaxy,the fighting spirit displayed left the supporters content even after the lose. 

Unlike other games were they complained and blamed the coach. What separated the two teams yesterday was experience and quality in the squads. Pound to pound teams almost matched, just one mistake worked against Toronto, the defence failed to mark properly at the back .

Patrick Kaunda had the ball and protected it facing the away from the posts instead of Thato Seagatleng picking a lose man in Tebogo Sembowa, he decided to double mark Kaunda with Brain Botsang and left Sembowa free, Kaunda simply laid the ball for the oncoming Sembowa and he nicely took a short to get a lead. Thus mistake continued throughout the game. Seagatleng and Botsang were flat, they both marked, this made them to be a bit lose as when a high ball comes, it beats them both, breakthrough passes beat them both and left Pepukani exposed.

  There was a very dangerous one-two that almost scored if it were not for the brilliance of Pepukani. Ayanda and Kaunda penetrated them with just two passes and faced Pepukani and made a great save against Ayanda.

The other factor was the strength of the Jwaneng Galaxy players. They were so strong and tough. High balls 50/50 balls were mostly won by them. Most fouls were were committed by them because sometimes they came in too strong.

This also affected Notwane’s carpet football type of play. They were to release the balls too early because of the fear of being fouled. The pressing was too hard also from Galaxy players and this almost was frustrating Notwane. 

Kutlwelo Mpolokang of Galaxy was rock solid in the midfield. He has no height and yet won most of the high balls, his positioning and reading of the ball was so excellent, he also was one of the players who came in too hard for the Notwane players. He controlled the tempo of the game, organised the midfield and the defence giving instructions in the pitch like a captain.

Terry was one of the shining stars in  the colours of Toronto, he could take players on with his skills and tried to find a pass to penetrate and break the Galaxy defence even the though some of his passes were intercepted.

Molebatsi on the flank kept his marker very busy, dribbling and making good crosses which were cut by Galaxy. Notwane had a few food chances which could have gotten them a goal but squandered.

Thabiso Boti was presented with a chance, instead of pressing the ball in, he decided to turn around and stop the ball, Galaxy quickly covered and won the ball. Legwaila in the second half crossed a very good ball which found Boti’ s head and just passed the post with just inches.

Just on the dying minutes of the game, Thato Kebue’s hard tackling ended up injuring Katlego Koobake. He did not finish the game because of the injury Molemi Keolopile was brought in for him.

The game was just wonderful to watch except the fans of Notwane’s cry of unfair officiating on the night. Especially the ball which Topo Piet came with and took on the Galaxy defender on the box , he was taken down and the refree gave a Galaxy foul yet ball was with Piet.

One would wonder how a player fouls when having the ball and making a run inside the box. Those are some the decisions  that the fans were not happy about.

​The game ended with Galaxy winning 1-0 with a Tebogo Sembowa strike.

The other game of the night Prisons XI played 1-1 with Mochudi Centre Chiefs.