The Mascom Top 8 draw, conducted on Tuesday at the Cresta Lodge, has already sent some tongues wagging. The tournament, which features eight top sides from the previous Premier League season, has set up some exciting clashes billed for next weekend.
Top of the drawer is a two-legged quarterfinal clash involving hot favourites Mochudi Centre Chiefs and Nico United. Both sides are enjoying a good vein of form with Chiefs top of the Premier League table having gone 20 games without tasting any defeat.
The last time the sides met in the league was on November 5 last year in Selebi-Phikwe and Chiefs came out 2-0 winners. It was a game which many commentators feel could have gone either way. Nico United defender Moagedi ‘44′ Gaseitsewe, commonly known as Tsametse, has hinted that they will send Chiefs to the cleaners when they meet in the tournament. He believes that they have what it takes to compete with the expensively-assembled Kgatleng giants.
“Believe you me when I say this is the fixture we wanted in this competition. The reason I’m saying this is because when we lost to Chiefs during the first round (of the league), we felt hard done. We didn’t deserve to lose that game hence we believe that there is no way we’re going to surrender to Chiefs. Everyone, from the players to the supporters, talks about this fixture,” said the Mmadinare-born player.
Gaseitsewe pointed out that though Chiefs are a strong team, they need to make-up for their performance in the league.
“We started the league well but things fell apart midway through the first round due to internal problems. That thing (internal matters) took the confidence away from the players but things are back to normal. It’s time we win something for our supporters,” he pointed out.
Since their establishment many years ago, Majombolo have not won any major silverware and if it happens that they win the inaugural Mascom Challenge it will be something which will go down in the history books.
In Chiefs, Nico will be meeting a side which has potential of scoring goals for fun and they will have to be at their best defensively to guard against that. In other games, Township Rollers have a tricky date against BDF XI while Gaborone United entertain Uniao Flamengo Santos. ECCO City Greens have to master a win over their ‘brothers’ BMC. According to the organizers of the tournament, the winner will pocket home P1million after only five games. Mascom have brought new innovations in this tournament and the one which will be welcomed by the clubs is that the sponsors are paying for accommodation and transport cost during the tournament.
