“Lekgamu la Bananyana” are finding it hard in top-flight football where they are placed way down in the standings
Gazette Reporter
Newly promoted rookies, Eleven Angels Football Club’s premier league nightmares continued at the weekend when they suffered their second consecutive loss since they debuted the top flight football two weeks ago.
They lost to Extensions Gunners and Morupule Wanderers, leaving them among the bottom three teams in log standings, with 28 games to go until the end of the 2022/23 season.
Youthful players
Eleven Angels are dominated by youthful players who have no experience of elite football, hence their struggle comes as little surprise and was even predicted by football pundits upon promotion of the team to the premier league this year.
“Lekgamu la Bananyana,” as they are popularly known in football circles, are yet to find the back of the net in their two outings against Wanderers where they lost 0-1 and 0-2 defeat by Gunners after missing a crucial penalty at Lobatse Sports Complex on Saturday.
In a post-match interview, Coach Seemo Mpatane said it is too early to count them out but conceded that there is a need to change their approach and tactics. “My boys are trying their best to settle in the premier league and are learning through these early challenges,” he told Gazette Sports.
“We missed lots of scoring chances in all of our games so far and would be talking a different story if we had converted them. In the Gunners game, we conceded simple goals because of minor setbacks that we are going to work hard on. Those who undermine us are doing that at their own peril.”
Missing chances
He added that despite their consecutive losses, there is some improvement. “The boys have really improved and need to improve more in front of the goalposts,” Mpatane said. “We are creating lots of chances, and that’s the good part. I remain hopeful that everything shall fall into place and we will fight hard to keep our place in the premier league.”
Next in line are Masitaoka on Sunday at Francistown Sports Complex where Eleven Angels intend to improve their position in the log standings. They are currently placed in position 15 with a goal difference of -3 slightly atop Mogoditshane Fighters.
Development side
They started as a development side early in 2010 and were officially registered in 2013 as a team in its own right. “We triumphed in the Third Division in our first-ever season with players like Gofaone Mabaya, Fortunate Thulare and Danger Tlhalefang,” Mpatane pointed out. “We spent four seasons in the second division and finally got promoted to First Division North in 2018.”