The second round of the Botswana Premier League (BPL) 2022 / 23 season started this past weekend and things definitely got tastier at the top and murkier at the bottom.
After a long time at the helm, Gaborone United (GU) were finally knocked off their lofty perch. Following GU’s 2 – 2 draw with Security Systems on Saturday, Galaxy edged off Morupule Wanderers by a solitary goal on Sunday afternoon to take an outright lead of the league standings.
Morena Ramoreboli led Galaxy have hit a purple patch of late and their ascension to the top is by no means a fluke. From their last four outings, the Jwaneng based outfit has won three games and lost one, accumulating ten points in the process.
GU on the other hand have not had it all going their way in the past four games they have played. ‘The Reds’ have won only one game and drawn the other three. They have thus only managed to get six points from a possible twelve.
Galaxy is now sitting on 40 points from 16 games, while GU is two points adrift having played the same number of games. Galaxy have won 12 games and drawn 4, while GU has won 11 and drawn 5. Both teams are yet to lose a game this season.
Meanwhile, Orapa United failed to close the gap with second placed GU after they were held to a 1 – 1 draw by BDF XI. This was the second consecutive draw for ‘The Ostriches’ of Orapa. Following their weekend draw, they have now amassed 35 points.
Third placed Orapa will now have to keep looking over their shoulder with fourth placed Township Rollers looking to close the gap between them. Rollers will have an opportunity to do this when they face Holy Ghost this coming Wednesday. The match between the two was moved as Holy Ghost were playing the Orange FA Cup this past weekend.
In the relegation zone, it was business as usual for the strugglers. Following their loss to fellow strugglers Holy Ghosts the last time out, Mogoditshane Fighters were up against it again this past weekend as they were beaten 1 – 3 by Eleven Angels. It was a fourth consecutive loss for Fighters.
Elsewhere, their fellow strugglers Extension Gunners were also beaten 1 – 3 by the resurgent Sua Flamingoes on Saturday afternoon. Gunners’ loss has already set tongues wagging with many now wondering if the relegation’s artful dodgers may have lost their touch.
Gunners have had a torrid run in the league. The last time they tasted a win in the league was on 12th November 2022 when they won 1 – 0 against Holy Ghost. Since then, they have played 13 games, drawing 10 and losing 3.
Still in the relegation battle, Prisons X1 were at the receiving end yet again this past weekend. ‘The Warders’ relegation woes were compounded this past Sunday as they lost 0 – 2 to Masitaoka. Prisons are on a long winless run in the league. The last time they won a game was on 02 December 2022 when they beat Holy Ghost 2 – 0.
