Doubtless, Letsile Tebogo's golden moment in Paris on July 8 stands out as Botswana's shining moment this year. Amidst a change of government after last month's general election, the country could be set for another landmark with the Zebras on the brink of a second return to the AFCON finals. The Zebras play Mauritania in a make-or-break AFCON qualifier at the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium this afternoon. More than 12 years have passed since the Zebras sat at the dining table with Africa's finest. The moment to return to the top table presents itself this afternoon as a nation holds its collective breath hoping for a campaign-changing win that will book the Zebras a place in Morocco next year. There is a sharp contrast between the two campaigns after the first, which started with an underwhelming departure to Tunisia on a cold July afternoon in 2008. Then, the Zebras were under the stewardship of Stanley Tshosane, who enjoys the iconic status after becoming the first coach to take Botswana to the AFCON finals.
The Zebras had to toil past several hurdles including being regarded as the perennial ‘Whipping Boys’ of Africa where the debate always centred on the margin of defeat rather than the match outcome. The national side began to show grit under Serbian Jelusic Jelušić around 2005 and the period marked the start of a galvanised revolution. Tshosane took the baton from Colwyn Rowe to complete the revolution that had gained momentum under Jelušić. The 2012 success was built on a firm defensive foundation with Tshosane preferring a pragmatic approach over adventure. Whilst the football was rarely pleasing to the eye, it paid dividends as the Zebras relied on the predatory instincts of Jerome Ramatlhakwana, who was clinical in front of goal and was the team's focal person in attack. The team had the resilience and the talents of Diphetogo 'Dipsy' Selolwane, Mogogi 'Gino' Gabonamong, Phenyo 'Mzambia' Mongala, Mompati 'Apache' Thuma, and the steadying influence of Modiri Marumo between the sticks. I
n hindsight, Tshosane probably had the best of the bunch in a long time with most of the players plying their trade abroad. It is a Zebras side that developed guile as the campaign progressed and they became a hard nut to crack as they twice defeated former African champion, Tunisia, on their way to the finals. It was a difficult group that also had the Emmanuel Adebayor-led Togo and Chad. The nation rallied behind a dream which was realised in the summer of 2011 when Ramatlhakwana's solitary strike away to Chad in Ndjamena secured the historic qualification. After years of trying, the Zebras arrived in the Promised Land. Now, more than a decade later, the Zebras could qualify in contrasting fashion. Whilst in the run-up to 2012, the Zebras were near flawless, losing only once, during the current campaign, it has been a mixed bag. The team started off under Frenchman, Didier Gomes Da Rosa and it was the worst possible take-off with a 1-0 defeat to Mauritania. It got worse when the Pharaohs of Egypt mauled the Zebras 4-0 at home to almost ensure that the campaign had ended before it could even start. But a 1-0 win over Cape Verde away from home last month rekindled the dying hopes before the Zebras were back in full gallop with a similar reverse win over the same opponent at the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium. While in 2012, the road was long and rugged, this time around, thanks to an increase in teams at the finals, the passage is smoother.
The 2012 squad enjoyed a stable technical bench whilst, in this campaign, the Botswana Football Association (BFA) was forced into a change after Da Rosa dumped the Zebras midway through the campaign. Only three wins will be sufficient to ensure that the Zebras will be on the plane to Morocco for the finals next year. But for that to be possible, Morena Ramoreboli's charges will have to turn back the hands of time and invoke the memories of 2012 when they face Mauritania.
