Botswana’s senior national team, Zebras, meet lowly rated South Sudan today (Wednesday) at the National Stadium.
The match will be the first one for the newly appointed coach, James Butler. The preliminary team to face South Sudan has already been released and several players are yet to be tried and tested and it remains to be seen how they will adapt when they face one of the lowly ranked teams in the World. However the notable absentee from the new look team is towering Township Rollers central defender, Obuile ‘Oscar’ Ncenga.
He was seen as a permanent replacement for Thuma who was the pillar of the team for many years.
Ncenga struggled a bit when he started in the team under Stanley Tshosane, but in the last matches he was almost the pillar of strength at the back.
The South Sudan friendly match has already attracted criticism from the football fraternity with several football experts questioning its motive.
The reason behind that being that South Sudan is a lowly ranked country and would not give Botswana much needed competition.
Already coach Butler has hinted that he is an attack minded coach and would do away with the previously popular system of packing the bus used by former coach, Tshosane.
The packing bus system was working well for Botswana as it even helped the Zebras to qualify for 2012 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in history. Whether the attacking system will work remains to be seen.
Below is the preliminary team
Goalkeepers ?1.Noah Maposa -Gaborone United?2.Mwampole Masule -Township Rollers?3.Kabelo Dambe -Platinum Stars ??Defenders ?4.Moreetsi Mosimanyana -BDF XI?5.Leutlwetse Tshireletso -Township Rollers?6.Mmusa Ohilwe -Extension Gunners?7.Simisane Mathumo -Township Rollers?8.Agisanyang Ramaabya -Extension Gunners?9.Osego Gaotewe -Gaborone United?10.Kaelo Kgaswane -Gaborone United?11.Otlaantshekela Mooketsi -BDF XI?12.Gogonte Marumo -UF Santos??Midfielders ?13 .Mogakolodi Ngele -Platinum Stars ?14 .Ofentse Nato -Black Aces?15 .Dirang Moloi ?16.Galabgwe Moyana -Polokwane City?17.Jackie Mothatego -Gaborone United?18.Kabo Rasuping -Gaborone United?19.Kelelelo Kgosimore -Extension Gunners?20.Sekhana Koko -Township Rollers?21.Senatla Molefhe -UF Santos??Strikers ?22.Tebogo Sembowa -Gaborone United?23.Jerome Ramatlhakwana -Cercle Sportif Bon Dosco?24.Joel Mogorosi -Bloemfontein Celtic
