TRICKY LEAGUE OPENER FOR MOYAGOLEELE

Fans are agog because BDF XI has proved to be something of a bogey team for the country’s biggest teams, writes BONGANI MALUNGA

Reigning Botswana Football League champions Gaborone United will start their title defence against unpredictable opponents BDF XI this Saturday.
Lobatse Sports Complex is the stage on which the Gaborone sides will lock horns with three points up for grabs.

 

Tricky opponents
This game will have a 4pm kickoff time to coincide with four other league games on the day. The Sunday games will also start at 4pm to round off Week One of the 2022/2023 BFL season.

Last season BDF XI became the first team to inflict defeat on a steamrolling GU side that had started the league campaign with an unbeaten run of five games.

GU had easily disposed of Masitaoka, Extension Gunners, Mahalapye Railway Highlanders, Sua Flamengoes and Notwane before the army side stopped them in their tracks.

BDF XI defeated Moyagoleele 2-1 in the first round. Goals from Keeagile Kobe and Oratile Taunyane helped BDF XI get over the line while Takunda Sadiki scored for GU.

GU then exacted revenge on BDF in the second round on April 9 with a comfortable 2-0 victory when the Reds were en route to winning the league.

 

Always a tight affair
BDF XI has proved to be something of a bogey team for the country’s biggest teams as they are usually up for a challenge on derby day. Before the 2019/2020 season was halted, the two sides had played to a 1-1 draw in the first round.

The second round encounter between the sides did not take place due to restrictions prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Games between GU and BDF XI are usually tight or difficult to call as neither side can make an outright claim of dominance over the other.

A full round of league action

Saturday:
Eleven Angels vs Morupule Wanderers (Francistown City Council Stadium)
Holy Ghost FC vs Jwaneng Galaxy (Molepolole Sports Complex)
Orapa United vs Masitaoka (Itekeng Stadium)
Nico United vs Sua Flamengoes (Sam Sono Stadium)

 

Sunday:

Township Rollers vs Mogoditshane Fighters (Molepolole Sports Complex)
Prisons XI vs Security Systems (Lobatse Sports Complex)
Police XI vs Extension Gunners (Otse Stadium)