GU set early advantage

FREDERICK KEBADIRETSE
Staff Writer | Saturday May 25, 2013 00:00

 

Two first half goals by Moemedi Moatlhaping and Tebogo Sembowa secured Gaborone United a 2-1 victory over Nico United in their first leg match of the Mascom Top 8 quarterfinals played in Molepolole on Saturday. But Nico United, who finished the game with striker Bonolo Fraizer in goal following injuries to their two goalkeepers, put up a stern fight and got the all important away goal after it seemed the game was moving beyond their reach.Moatlhaping opened the score for the home side 15 minutes into the match and Sembowa doubled the lead in the 37th minute before Topo Piet pulled one back for Nico inside injury time of the first half. This would however be the closure of goals in an encounter that was marred by several stoppages. The match, the first of a double header on the day, started under scorching heat and both teams were reluctant to rev up their pace. GU however managed to create a couple of chances in the opening minutes and Moatlhaping converted one in the 15th minute.

The former Township Rollers and Mochudi Centre Chiefs striker received the ball near the edge of the box from a rebounded free kick and did not make a mistake slotting it past Nico goalkeeper Basimanebotlhe Moilwa.He had two more chances to grab a brace - first a volley that went narrowly over the bar a minute after the opening goal, and missing clear header on the 35th minute.Sembowa beat the offside trap in the 37th minute and tapped the ball around Moilwa to give GU a 2-0 lead.It took some individual brilliance of Piet in additional time of the half to pull one back for Nico after bulldozing through the GU defence, cutting inside from the right flank and slotting in a shot past Maposa.

Nico suffered a blow in the 65th minute when Moilwa sustained an injury and was replaced by Ogopotse Tshule in between the posts. GU continued pressing forward in an attempt to increase their tally with coach Major David Bright bringing in Stephen Maposa for Jackie Mothatego who had a quiet game in the middle of the park. Both sides failed to make any clear goal scoring opportunities in the half. Maposa however forced Tshule to make a brilliant save from close range in the 89th minute.

This was a moment before Tshule was forced to leave the field with a hand injury, and with the Nico having finished their substitutes, Fraizer took the place between the posts to the end of the match. The two sides will now clash in the decider return leg match on the weekend of March 9-10 to determine who progresses to the semi-finals of the cup with a prize money of P1 million.