The evidence was once again there for all to see as fans converged from all corners to create a carnival 'come and Ghetto your love' atmosphere during Saturday’s epic Orange FA Cup final between mining town sides, Jwaneng Galaxy and Orapa United. For neutrals, it wasn’t the ideal final as one would have liked to see the involvement of the so-called community teams. There were always fears that the uninspiring build-up to the final, coupled with a fixture featuring 'institutional teams' could have resulted in a low fan turnout. But Ghetto is fast re-modelling itself as the go-to-jolly-place for local football with the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium, the epicentre of key activities, including the Zebras’ matches.
Multitudes made their way to Botswana’s newest football complex, despite the absence of the traditional crowd pullers, Township Rollers and Gaborone United. It would have been a dream final to say, have a home town team like TAFIC in the final. But teams only progress to the ultimate stage through merit and not on sentiment. The fans' presence on Saturday ensured that what could have been a yawn, turned into a colourful afternoon football jamboree, with the two teams playing their part in a spectacle that ended with Galaxy cementing their recent domestic dominance.
The last 10 minutes of the encounter were particularly engaging, with a red card and two goals in a dramatic end to the tie. Despite being a man down, Orapa fought back to draw level and set a potential extra time or penalty shoot-out scenario. But a defensive lapse right at the death denied the fans further action and meant that Galaxy close out another successful season where they won a league and cup double. The match brought the curtain down on an eventful 2023-2024 season, where the boardroom upheavals unnecessarily stole the limelight. Despite the extremely bumpy ride along a winding journey, fans proved without a doubt that they still have appetite for a good product.
With the First National Bank on board next season, there is light at the end of the tunnel, provided, the administrators get their house in order. Attendances at some of the matches during the season proved there is, after all, still a lot of life in the domestic game. Officials should now make it a point that they play their part in moulding a product that is seamless and will force the lost fans back to the stadiums.
