Jacobs feels his side could have done much better defensively against the Ostriches and the defensive blunders have cost them a place in the final. They conceded two goals in almost the same fashion. “It was a tough one and we played a quality outfit in Orapa. Orapa is a strong team and you can see from the bench, they brought in players who can kill off the game.
I think we gifted them those two goals. I think we defended poorly and we switched off watching the cross coming and we were not marking. As a coach, I have to take it but it is a bitter pill to swallow. We wanted to go into the final but it did not happen. I always say football is a game of chances, and you must score those chances and it is a game of defending those chances and in my opinion, we did not defend well,” Jacobs said.
TAFIC were a goal down in the first minute as Gofaone Mabaya headed home after receiving a cross from Eric Ookame to give Orapa the lead. After the goal, TAFIC settled into the match with Onkabetse Makgantai and Azende Aime at the core of the team’s attack. Gape Gaogangwe saw his chance go over the bar on the 21st minute before Aime shot wide off the post five minutes later. Mabaya squandered a chance to make it two for Orapa when he placed his attempt over the bar with five minutes to the break. The Ostriches held a 1-0 lead in to the break .
TAFIC levelled the matters in the first minute of the second half through Makgantai. The striker tapped in from close range to get one against his former side. Orapa’s Gape Thibedi saw his attempt going just over the bar a few minutes later. Orapa looked the more threatening of the two teams but were let down by the final ball. The Ostriches got the winner with the three minutes to full time as Ookame headed in a cross from Thibedi at the far post. The Ostriches made it to their second Orange FA Cup final and will take on Jwaneng Galaxy.
The teams
TAFIC: Prince Mooketsi, Gape Gaogangwe, Kemoneetswe Mmangwedi, Shanganani Ngada, Ronny Leagetse (Boemo Lekorwe), Rebaone Joseph, Onkabetse Makgantai, Keabetswe Tiego (Theo Shadikong), Thabiso Bante (Kitso Mpuisang), Azande Aime (Mothusi Fanyana) Orapa: Keeagile Kgosipula, Mpho Kgaswane, Atamelang Lesogo, Ivan Kamberipa, Thato Kebue, Koketso Majafi, Ratlhogo Ratlhogo, Gofaone Mabaya (Kelvin Bingala), Tinahe Balakasi (Stephen Sibanda), Gape Thibedi, Eric Ookame
TAFIC 1 (Makgantai 47th) Orapa 2 (Mabaya 1st, Ookame 87th
