Sesinyi inactive for three months, his club virtually relegated
BONGANI MALUNGA
Botswana’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) based pair Mogakolodi Ngele (Supersport United) and Thabang Sesinyi (Platinum Stars) have entered an unknown territory in their respective careers as their clubs are embroiled in relegation scraps. The duo has also been starved of first team football due to injuries and being overlooked by newly appointed coaches.
Stars are virtually relegated form the PSL as they are seven points from safety with only three games left while Supersport are only a point ahead of Ajax Cape Town who are currently occupying the 14th spot on the log. Finishing in the 14th spot would require a team to participate in the PSL Promotion tournament against First Division teams to preserve their league status.
If results do not go Supersport’s way in the next three games they could find themselves in the dreaded 14th spot, a promotional playoff would be a first for Ngele who is used to be fighting for top honours on the top half of the log. Failure to win the PSL Promotion tournament would result in relegation, which would dent Ngele’s decorated PSL CV.
Ngele has not had as many first team chances as he would have liked in recent weeks, the departure of Eric Tinkler has seen Kaitano Tembo appointed on an interim basis. The Zebras star is yet to start a game under Tembo, he has been an unused substitute in two games and came on as a late substitute in Supersport’s 0-0 draw against Cape Town City. He was not in the match day squad in one game as he was recovering from a minor injury suffered during the international break.
Sesinyi has played only five games for Stars this season. Peter Butler’s replacement, Roger De Sa has not selected Sesinyi on a regular basis since last year. The former Jwaneng Galaxy attacker was injured towards the end of last year but recovered during the festive break but it appears he has been starved of first team action. The player’s last appearance for Stars was in January.