- GU have momentum from recent premier league derby with Rollers
- Orapa United mean to win unprecedented second FA Cup title
GAZETTE REPORTER
Defending champions Gaborone United (GU) will face off with Orapa United in the highly anticipated Orange FA Cup final set next month.
This comes after GU stunned untra-rivals Township Rollers with a 1-0 defeat in the semi-finals played at the National Stadium in Gaborone on Sunday.
The Money Machine, as GU are popularly known, took the lead in the first minutes of the match through Mpho Kgaswane’s solo goal, which confirmed their place in the finals, while Rollers struggled to settle into the match.
Ngele out-marshalled
Rollers tried to get their momentum through their attackers Mogakolodi Ngele and Shaun Mcumeni but couldn’t penetrate the GU midfield marshalled by Mothusi Cooper and Lebogang Ditsile.
GU, seeking back-to-back victories and their third title overall, are determined to defend their crown.
On the other hand, Orapa United – the dominant force in the premier league at the moment – are vying for an unprecedented second FA Cup title.
Road to finals
Both teams have faced challenges on the road to the finals where they narrowly advanced from the semis, securing their spot by the slimmest of margins.
Orapa United, commonly known as “The Ostriches,” secured a crucial 4-3 victory against Masitaoka via a penalty shootout in their semi-final match played on Saturday at the Royal Aria Stadium in Tlokweng.
In a post-match interview, GU coach Pontsho Moloi attributed their victory to momentum gained from the Gaborone derby in a premier league game that was played recently.
Wary of Orapa threat
“Playing Rollers has never been an easy thing just from my playing days and now as coach,” Moloi said. “It comes with pressure but we always strive to do the best. We beat them recently, and that’s where we got the morale and confidence. Beating them twice is a huge advancement from our side.
“We should have scored many more goals, looking at the opportunities we had during the entire match, but we couldn’t. This calls for better preparation ahead of the finals because we are wary of the threat that our opponents pose.”
Silverware
For his part, Orapa United coach Tawurayi Mangwiro said he is happy to have advanced to the finals, calling it good progress for the team. “Leading the team to the FA Cup final and finishing within the top four in the premier league in my first season is a massive achievement for us,” he said.
“We are now setting our eyes on winning silverware, which we are aware is not going to be easy. But we are going to fight with everything we have to get it.”
June 10 is date for the Orange FA Cup final between the giants at Obed Itani Chilume Stadium in Francistown.