And the coach of Botswana’s most successful football team of the present day pays tribute to the contemporary world’s most astral athlete, Letsile Tebogo, for inspiration ahead of their CAF appointment with South Africa’s marauding Orlando Pirates
GAZETTE REPORTER
Having secured a dramatic advancement to the CAF Champions League 2nd preliminary round, Jwaneng Galaxy are gearing up for another formidable challenge.
After a nail-biting 6-5 penalty shootout victory over Namibia’s African Stars following a 1-0 win in regular time that led to a 1-1 aggregate score, Galaxy now face the prospect of battling the renowned Orlando Pirates.
In a post-match interview after going past African Stars, Jwaneng Galaxy’s head coach, Morena Ramoreboli, expressed his awareness of the tough task ahead.
“Another tough encounter”
“Orlando Pirates again; another tough encounter,” he remarked, acknowledging the formidable reputation of their next opponents. “I know they were here to watch,” he added.
“To be honest, there’s nothing much to say about them. They are a big team and we will give them the same respect we gave them before. It is going to be another difficult match.”
Tebogo’s resilience
Ramoreboli’s respect for Orlando Pirates is matched by his admiration for Letsile Tebogo whose inspiring performance has resonated deeply within the team.
Tebogo, known for his resilience and achievements, has become a symbol of hope for Batswana athletes across codes.
“There is one man who always, when we talk about him, reminds us of the importance of being resilient, and that is Letsile Tebogo,” said Ramoreboli, paying tribute to the contemporary world’s most astral athletics champion.
Self-belief
“He has made us understand that a Black child with self-belief can achieve anything. His performance is an inspiration to all Batswana athletes.
“And for me, whatever we do, we need to leave a mark and make history. Stories like that of Tebogo give us hope that we need to believe in ourselves.”
Jwaneng Galaxy’s memorable clash against Orlando Pirates in last year’s CAF Champions League was a testament to their determination.
Equally high stakes
Galaxy managed to knock Pirates out with a stunning 5-4 victory in Gaborone in a shootout after the two legs ended 1-1. This year, the stakes are equally high, and the team is preparing for another intense encounter.
Reflecting on their recent battle against African Stars, Ramoreboli was candid about the challenges they faced. “Honestly speaking, we had a plan and we knew that things were not going to be easy,” he said.
“We were like someone driving a car having to plan for option one, option two, and option three. I used different systems in the game, and that is why I am congratulating the players because they adapted so well to the systems that we had to play.”
Phoko the talisman
He praised his team’s ability to adjust and stay focused despite the high-pressure circumstances. “They kept on doing what we wanted throughout the game,” he emphasised.
“My wish was to finish it within 90 minutes, but this is a competitive team, and they were fighting with everything. That is one thing that made things difficult for us.”
The Galaxy coach also highlighted the team’s growing confidence in penalty shootouts. “We have started a good trend in penalty shootouts.
“Every time we go to penalties, we have a strong mentality because we know that Goitseone Phoko can save one or two of them,” Ramoreboli noted, referencing Phoko’s crucial performance in the shootout against African Stars.