Orapa target group stages spot
Kabelo Boranabi | Tuesday August 27, 2024 09:05
Over the weekend the Ostriches sailed into the competition’s second preliminary round following a 3-1 aggregate win over Foresters FC of Seychelles. Orapa managed a 2-0 win over the visitors in the second leg of the CAF Confederations Cup first preliminary round played on Sunday afternoon at the National Stadium. The two teams had played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg played a week ago in Mauritius. On Sunday afternoon, the home side took the lead on the 14th minute as winter signing, Ivan Kamberipa, tucked in from close range with his first for the club. Orapa went onto dominate the tie but could not extend their lead up to the half time break.
They, however, managed to double their lead in the tie inside the first five minutes of the second half. Gofaone Mabaya won the penalty for the team after he was brought down inside the box on the 50th minute. Resaobaka Thatanyane stepped up to beat the goalkeeper to the roof of the net to give his side the advantage. The win pits the Ostriches against Dynamos in the next round of the tournament. It is for the first time in three attempts that the team has managed to go past the first round of the tournament. Tiiso has said their aim is to be the first local side to play in the group stages of the continental inter-club second tier tournament.
Dynamos is to host their home game at the National Stadium as they did against Zambia’s Zesco United in the first round and Tiiso said this could be a slight advantage to Orapa’s ambitions. “We will go sit down and try to unpack Dynamos. The advantage is that Dynamos are hosting here so playing two games in Gabs is an advantage to us but we are not going to read much into that. This is a very good team, very seasoned team in the CAF competitions with a large following.
They are very experienced in CAF competitions so this is why I say we need to watch their clips and try unpack them so that we can achieve our mandate. The mandate is for Orapa United to make history, for the first time, we want to play in the group stages,” said Tiiso. The two teams are to meet in the first leg to be played the weekend of September 13-15.
The teams
Orapa: Lesenya Malapela, Ivan Kamberipa, Ratlhogo Ratlhogo, Atamelang Lesogo (Koketso Majafi), Thato Kebue, Botsile Sakana (Kagisano Mungu), Gothusang Osego, Gape Thibedi (Azende Aime), Kamogelo Moloi, Resaobaka Thatanyane (Oarabile Sekwai), Gofaone Mabaya (Eric Ookame)
Foresters: Gino Pleureuse, Laurence Leon, Mellie Eric, Brandon Labrosse, Colin Bibi, Makhan Cissoko, Kazeem Tigana, Brandon Molle, Alex Bijoux, Jose Ralaimora
Orapa 2 (Kamberipa 14th, Thatanyane 50th, pen ) Foresters 0