The Alarm Boys had to come from behind two times in the game until they eventually took the lead for the first time in the dying minutes of the game. Botlhasitse was left in tears after seeing his troops' heroics display and not paying homage to opponents. “This game was a roller-coaster.
It was emotional because I told the boys that if we cannot believe in ourselves, we will lose games not because we are not playing well. We are giving the opposition too much respect. So, I told them the more you believe, the better the chance of us collecting maximum points and that is how it went,” Botlhasitse said.
He said he hopes that the Alarm Boys will carry on with the same belief in the next games. “I can only congratulate the boys for believing in themselves and for fighting more because if I had not given them that belief, it could have gone the other way. So, this is the team that I want to see going forward,” he said. Systems started off on the back foot as early as the ninth minute when GU took the lead. After putting pressure on the Systems defence, GU forced an own goal with defender Aobakwe Radikolana scoring against his own team.
The Reds continued probing for the second goal but Thatayaone Kgamanyane rooted a ball over the bar after beating goalkeeper, Maikano Tladinyane. Minutes later, Systems capitalised from a defensive error by Tsepo Maikano who failed to clear the ball with Tawana Mbakile easily stealing the ball away from him and putting it past the goalkeeper.
Coming back from the halftime break, GU were awarded a penalty after Omphile Ramogi was brought down inside the box. Kgaamanyane easily converted from the spot. With changes made, substitute for Systems Bokang Rathipana stole the show as he equalised for his side and scored the winning goal to get his brace. On the 75th minute Rathipana hit a sublime strike, which beat Thabo Motswagole bringing the two sides back on level terms. With only a minute left before added time, Rathipana tapped into the back of the net from close range after a good cross was put inside the box. Systems went on to collect maximum points while GU went four games without a win.
The teams
Systems: Maikano Tladinyane, Daniel Montshiwa, Aobakwe Radikolana, Larona Modisaemanng, Walter Sande, Raymond Wetshooteng (Christopher Lemme), Tawana Mbakile, Emmanuel Agyei (Odile Lekoba), Thato Ogopotse, Tshepho Keselebale (Bokang Rathipana)
Gaborone United: Thabo Motswagole, Alford Velaphi, Mothusi Johnson, Tshepo Maikano, Karabo Phiri (Xolani Mmolawa), Sheikh Sesay (Mothusi Cooper), Lebogang Ditsile, Tatenda Gora (red card), Thatayaone Kgamanyane, Mpho Kgaswane (Omphile Ramoagi) , Molaodi Tlhalefang (Albert Nyamutsaka).
Security Systems 3 (Mbakile 23rd, Rathipana 75th, 89th) Gaborone United 2 (Radikolana (og) 9th, Kgamanyane (pen) 61st)
