After a disappointing weekend in Molepolole, Masitaoka FC bounced back to winning ways away from home by claiming a 3-1 victory against Morupule Wanderers in their 13th game of the 2022/23 Botswana Premier League campaign at Serowe Sports Complex on Saturday afternoon.
Namibian playmaker Ambrosius Amseb returned to the starting line-up following his full recovery from an ankle injury that kept him out since the 4th of December 2022. Furthermore, striker Lethabo Ogotseng and Zimbabwean winger Simbarashe Manyoni were handed their first starts of the season by Head Coach Mandla Mpofu.
It was the hosts who started very strong and dominating possession in the early stages of the game which resulted to them getting first shot at goal by Agrippa Murimba which was comfortably saved by Victor James. Morupule pressure finally paid off on the 10th minute with Murimba again striking from the edge of the 18 yard box beating James on the near post to make it 1-nil.
Morupule’s goal seemed to be a wake-up call for Mandla Mpofu boys who then began to play with more aggression and determination to get back on the game quickly. The wait for the equalizer lasted for only 7 minutes and came on the 17th minute; Ogotseng pounced on defensive miscommunication by Wanderers backline to level matters with a chip over the goalkeeper.
Majatlhaga kept the tempo high and continued to look for more spaces to score the second. On the 34th minute Ogotseng pressurized Morupule keeper Badisa Mpote forcing him to make a mistake and unmarked Brian Vuyo Mankanku picked up the loose ball to direct it into an open net; getting on the score sheet for the first time in Majatlhaga colours.
Few minutes before the break Tapiwa Sepatela attacked the box with pace after combining with Manyoni on the right flank and played the ball across the face of goal but sliding Amseb and Ogotseng couldn’t make enough contact to score the third goal. The two sides went into half time Masitaoka leading Wanderers 2-1.
From the break, Majatlhaga continued to push forward with the intent of getting more goals and on the 49th minute overlapping Sepatela scored the third assisted by Obusitswe Gabadise after a well-executed play from the back.
Masitaoka then played the game more ease and less pressure for most parts of the second half but failed to add more goals. Morupule made tactical changes to try and find ways to get back into the game but Victor James and his solid defence denied them all the spaces.
The game ended with a 3-1 score line in favour of Majatlhaga and they remain on 6th position with 22 points. The blues are next in action against Prisons XI at Molepolole Sports Complex on Sunday, 5th February 2023.
Line-Up: James (16), Sepatela (7), Gabadise (5), Kamberipa © (15), Khuduga (17), Ramotlhwa (23), Ramotse (18), Amseb (10), Manyoni (33), Mankanku (21) (Phuthego 27’), Ogotseng (14)
Subs Not Used: Motswagole (32), Tjizake (4), Thuto (28), Molelowamodimo (24), Bogale (2), Ratshukudu_L (29), Monaheng (30), Mloyi (6)
Head Coach: Mandla Mpofu