Angels’ long trip to face Gunners
Kabelo Boranabi | Friday November 4, 2022 14:07
The Francistown-based side will travel just over 500km, their first long-haul trip in the Premier League. This will only be the second time Angels travel down south for an official game.
The team first travelled south to Mochudi to face Mochudi Centre Chiefs in the Premier League promotional play-off. Stakes are higher this time around as the Angels are chasing their first points in the top flight.
The team opened the 2022–2023 BPL season with a defeat against Morupule Wanderers. Angels’ head coach Seemo ‘16’ Mpatane said the technical team has prepared the team psychologically for long match day trips.
He, however, said his side is still lacking the intensity required at the elite league level. “We have talked about it during pre-season. We told the players we have to be mentally strong to play in this league.
We told them we will be travelling long distances now and we need to be ready for that mentally. “From our first game, we realised that the intensity in the Premier League is high and technically it is also different.
We were not too bad in our game but there are certain areas we need to improve. A lot of teams will be playing at a higher intensity so we need to match that and like I have said we need to be strong mentally,” Mpatane told Mmegi Sport this week.
Angles’ weekend opponents, Gunners are also wounded after the team lost 2-0 away to Police XI. As Mpatane heads to the Lobatse Sports Complex tomorrow afternoon, he said he expects one of the biggest crowds his team has played before. “They are naturally a big side so we expect that their fans will come in numbers. We have played in front of big crowds before, in the playoffs, we went to Mochudi and played Chiefs in a packed venue. We will be ready for such a crowd. We have prepared our players mentally.
I cannot say much about Gunners. We did not watch a lot of Premier League football in the past season, so we have not seen Gunners play in a long while. But what I can expect is that like the other Premier League sides, their game plan will be of intensity,” Mpatane said. Gunners have issues of their own on the technical bench.
The team’s head coach, Oupa Kowa was on suspension at press time and could miss the tie with assistant coach, Phenyo Mongala taking over the reins. Kick-off for the tie is at 7pm. In other games, Township Rollers and Police XI are eyeing their second respective wins as they meet at the Lobatse Sports Complex this evening at 7pm.
On Saturday, champions Gaborone United take on Holy Ghost at the Molepolole Sports Complex. Orapa United are travelling down south to face Mogoditshane Fighters at the VTM Arena while BDF XI and Nico United battle for maximum points at the Otse Stadium. Wanderers will be home to Prisons XI at the Serowe Sports Complex.
On Sunday afternoon, Masitaoka take Security Systems to the Molepolole Sports Complex as Sua Flamingoes embark on the weekend's longest trip to Jwaneng where Jwaneng Galaxy lie in wait at the Galaxy Stadium. The games will kick off at 4pm.