Ugly scenes spoil Rollers, Systems draw
Kabelo Boranabi | Tuesday January 24, 2023 06:00
The two teams played to a 1-1 draw in a Botswana Premier League encounter played at the National Stadium on Sunday afternoon. At full time, the two camps clashed over an incident that occurred during the match. Apparently, Rollers’ Phenyo Serameng spat on Morris Ruzivo and the incident went unnoticed by the referee. As a result, the Systems forward confronted Serameng after the game and the two camps had to be separated by security personnel. Just moments before kick-off, Systems’ Takunda Sadiki was cautioned for splashing a liquid substance in a bottle on the goalposts. Rollers were the first to pose questions as five minutes in to the tie, Onkarabile Ratanang hit the upright from a free kick. Popa were then caught napping as Systems took the lead from Daniel Montshiwa’s brilliantly taken volley on the 14th minute.
The Alarm Boys came close in the 25th minute as Thato Ogopotse headed wide. Rollers rattled the post for the second time as Tlhalefo Molebatsi could not hit the target from outside the box. Five minutes before the break, Molaodi Tlhalefang found some space inside the box but could not connect well with Odirile Lekoba’s cross. Systems led 1-0 at half time. Six minutes into the second half, Morgan Gaseitsiwe aimed for the top corner but his effort was wide off the post. Molebatsi missed a glorious chance as he skied his shot from Jackson Lesole’s low cross in the 56th minute. At the other end, Bokang Rathipana hit the upright with Rollers’ cut open once again in the 63rd minute. Rollers made it 1-1 with nine minutes to time as Terry Uiseb beat the keeper to the far post. Systems nearly took the lead in the 85th minute but Labelo Maphakela made himself big enough to deny Rathipana in a one-on-one situation.
Late in the tie, Letlhogonolo Chenjela saw his free kick missing the goal by just a whisker. “It was never going to be easy playing Rollers in this fixture. I think performance wise, the application (and) the mindset was there. When you were leading for a long time but you don’t get the full points then you can go home and feel we should have done much (better) to get the maximum points,” Systems’ Kaelo ‘Wire’ Kaelo said after the game. His counterpart, Rollers’ coach, Sergio Traquil felt Systems was not good enough to get a point. “Their game was long balls all the time, there was nothing to show if I have to say the truth. We were supposed to beat this team easily. From what I saw, only our team came to the pitch to win the game. They scored one goal from our mistake but I am proud of the fighting spirit from when we were losing the game,” he said.
The Teams Rollers: Kabelo Maphakela, Jackson Lesole, Simisane Mathumo, Mosha Gaolaolwe, Onkarabile Ratanang, Shannon Gcumeni (Mogakolodi Ngele), Phillip Kaku (Segolame Boy), Phenyo Serameng, Thapelo Balatlheng (Lebopo Moremi), Morgan Gaseitsiwe (Terry Uiseb), Tlhalefo Molebatsi (Edwin Moalosi) Systems: Michael Masule, Aobakwe Radikolana, Daniel Montshiwa, Tebogo Kopelang, Bophelo Macheng, Walter Sande, Takunda Sadiki (Letlhogonolo Chenjela), Thato Ogopotse, Molaodi Tlhalefang (Bokang Rathipana), Tawana Mbakile (Morris Rusivo), Odirile Lekoba (Poloko Nkalolang) Cautions: Serameng, Ratanang, Sadiki, Masule, Ogopotse, Chenjela
*Rollers 1 (Uiseb 81st) Systems 1 (Montshiwa 14th)