… and go on to dominate the awards
GAZETTE REPORTER
Jwaneng Galaxy secured their first-ever league and cup double after winning the Orange FA Cup last weekend.
Morena Ramoreboli’s side have added the previously elusive FA Cup to their trophy cabinet to go along with their Botswana Premier League title that they secured at the tail end of May.
The club walked away with prize money of P800, 000 to cap off a memorable night.
100% record in cup finals
The weekend Orange FA Cup triumph means that Galaxy are the only club in local football with a 100 percent record in competitive cup finals.
They have won three out of three cup finals in the last eight years.
The club won its first trophy in 2017 when they defeated Orapa United in the Mascom Top 8 final. In 2019, Galaxy won 2-0 against Gaborone United to lift the Mascom Top 8 once again.
Entertaining affair
Galaxy defeated Orapa United 2-1 in the Orange FA Cup final at Obed Itani Chilume Stadium in Francistown, courtesy of goals from Thero Setsile and Thabang Sesinyi.
The final was an eventful affair in which goals were disallowed, a red card was brandished and there was a questionable refereeing call that contributed to the talking points from the winner-take-all match.
Galaxy thought they had opened the scoring late in the first half through Daniel Msendami who slid through undetected to score past Orapa goalkeeper Keagile Kgosipula.
However, Msendami was adjudged to be in an offside position and the goal was ruled out and the teams went to the break with a 0-0 scoreline.
Breaking the duck
Galaxy took the lead through Setsile who was unmarked during a scramble in the penalty box in the 58th minute. Ramoreboli then made changes to the playing squad when he introduced Namibian Wendell Rudath to add a different attacking dimension to Galaxy.
Rudath was part of a turning point in the game as he was clean through on goal but was dragged back by Orapa’s Thepo Malgas.
This earned Malgas a red card because he was the last man in the defensive line when he committed the foul on Rudath, thus being sent off after less than a minute on the pitch as a substitute.
Orapa draw level
But despite being a man down, Orapa pushed for an equaliser and got it in the course of the 12 more minutes added by the referee after regulation time. The Ostriches got their leveller through Lemogang Maswena.
The goal had a bit of controversy as the assistant referee had waived his flag for an encroachment on the initial free kick, which had to be retaken. With the ball still in play, the assistant continued to signal his flag as Orapa equalized but referee Thabang Ketshabile overruled his assistant and allowed the goal to stand.
Sesinyi’s golden moment
Just when the game looked set for extra time, Thabang Sesinyi created a clutch moment when he controlled the ball well in a high-pressure moment and struck it past a helpless Kgosipula.
Sesinyi’s winning goal came on the cusp of the full-time whistle, sending the Galaxy faithful into a fit of delirium as the thought of a league and cup double sank in.
Galaxy also dominated the awards ceremony prior to the trophy presentation.
Msendami walked away with the Player of the Tournament award that yielded prize money of P50 000, Ramoreboli won the Coach of the Tournament award (P20 000) while Goitseone Phoko got the Goalkeeper of the Tournament award (worth P20 000).