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Struggling Chiefs pin hopes on new ground

New hopes: Mochudi Centre Chiefs will soon move to new grounds  PIC: FILE
New hopes: Mochudi Centre Chiefs will soon move to new grounds PIC: FILE

Debswana First Division South outfit, Mochudi Centre Chiefs are pinning their hopes on the completion of their football ground to improve their financial situation.

According to the club spokesperson, Jabu Mookodi, the facility, located in Boseja is almost complete. The Kgatleng giants currently play their home matches at Ramonaka. With the club facing financial challenges, Mookodi said once they complete their own facility, they hope to make more money through gate takings because of the proximity of the venue.

He also said the situation will also allow them to host fund raising activities, which would help arrest the financial position. Meanwhile, reports recently emerged that some players were threatening to down tools because of unpaid salaries. There were also rumours that the past weekend fiasco in which the team arrived late for its match against Tlokweng united was partly due to the players’ strike plans.

However, Mookodi said despite the club facing challenges, the only reason they arrived late for the match was because the mini bus transporting players and officials had a breakdown. “We were on time until that situation arose. We tried to find alternatives but then we got stuck in traffic in Tlokweng. We however, managed to inform the match officials about our situation while we negotiated our way through the traffic. And in the end we managed to play competitively despite the loss (1-0),” he said. Mookodi also said while they are trying to improve the financial situation of the club, the players fully understand the problem and the efforts by the management to deal with it.

They are currently preparing for a tough encounter against Broadhurst United at the Rovers ground on Sunday. “We might be playing a chasing game but our hope is that by the end of the season we will be at the top. The pressure is not on us since we are currently not at the summit. Let me also send our deepest condolences on behalf of the club to the Bakgatla Royal family on the passing of the Queen Mother (Kathleen ‘Nono’ Kgafela),” he said. In another development, log leaders, Black Forest will look to retain their position at the top of the table but face a tricky side, Holy Ghost, in one of the most interesting encounters scheduled for this weekend.

Forest are perched at the top with 14 points from six matches while their opponents, Holy Ghost sit at position five with 10 points. Both sides registered victories last weekend with Holy Ghost scoring twice against Red Sparks. Magoleng, as Black Forest are affectionately known by their fans, registered a vital 2-1 win away to Mochudi Rovers. Forest kick-started the league campaign on the back foot with two consecutive draws but quickly regrouped and went on to win their last four matches.

Tlokweng United who had a bright start to the season are sitting in position two with 12 points and will be away to Matebejana on Sunday. Both sides go into the match oozing with confidence after the past weekend’s victories. Matebejana defeated struggling Taung Young Strikers 1-0 while Tlokweng United beat Chiefs 1-0. Former Coca-Cola Cup champions, Union Flamengo Santos are eyeing their second victory in the campaign when they take on Young Strikers at Be-Free Park tomorrow.

Santos registered their first win of the season in emphatic fashion when they dispatch Kang side, Motaung Young Fighters 11-0. The win saw Santos move to position 10 with five points. Young Strikers and Young Fighters remain the only two sides who are yet to win a match this season. Young Fighters, rooted at the bottom of the league table with one point, take on Red Sparks tomorrow at Red Sparks ground.

Editor's Comment
UDC should deliver on promises

President Duma Boko and his government must now hit the ground running to deliver on their promises and meet the high expectations of Batswana. The UDC has pledged to foster a deliberative democracy, where open dialogue and continuous conversations are encouraged. This approach will allow different viewpoints to be heard and strengthen the ideas that shape our nation. The introduction of the long-awaited Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a...

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