The two teams faced off at the National Stadium on Sunday evening in the first leg of the Champions League preliminary round.
Forward Thero Setsile sweetened the Reds’ return to continental inter-club competition with a 36th minute half volley to give his side a slight advantage ahead of the return leg to be played in the DRC on Sunday.
It was a rather slow start into the match until Mpho Kgaswane found Thatayaone Kgamanyane but the latter’s header went wide on the seventh minute. Four minutes later, Marouf Tchakei gave the visitors their first sight at goal but his free-kick was well handled by Goitseone Phoko. A minute later, AS Vita came close again as Mbarga Pascal’s shot from range went over the bar.
The Reds, however, showed an upper hand in the tie but could not break the opposition defense. On the 33rd minute, Mothusi Copper tried from range but his shot sailed over the bar. The Reds’ goal came on the 36th minute as Setsile benefited from an attempted clearance and half volleyed his chance at the far post to give his side the lead. GU walked in to the break with a 1-0 lead.
Just seven minutes into the second half, Tchakei saw his deflected low drive missing the goal by a whisker. Four minutes later, Onkabetse Makgantai headed wide off the post from a corner kick.
On the hour mark, Kgaswane had his shot parried back into play. However, his teammates were slow to react on the chance. The home side thought they had doubled the lead but the opposition keeper produced a splendid save to deny Makgantai from inside the box.
The tempo of the tie slowed down in the final 10 minutes but the Reds were happier to walk away with a win. In a post match interview, GU’s coach had this to say: “We had a very good game. Our boys were disciplined and worked very hard.
They were focused and we worked on their mental strength and they held this team to the last (minute). We felt that whatever we instructed them to do, they did that,” he said. His opposite number, Raoul Sungu bemoaned the reception his side received in Botswana.
The Teams
GU: Goitseone Phoko, Alphord Velaphi, Kennedy Amutenya, Thato Kebue, Mothusi Johnson, Mothusi Cooper, Lebogang Ditsele, Mpho Kgaswane (Gape Thibedi), Thatayaone Kgamanyane (Thatayaone Ramatlapeng), Onkabetse Makgantai, Thero Setsile
AS Vita: Simon Omossola, Varela Rosan Jovial, Ismael Zagre, Ebunga Simbi, Jacques Mangoba, Mbarga Pascal, Lema Mabidi, Maroud Tchakei, Kikwama Mujinga (Imana Lote), Eric Kabwe, Jacques Temopele
