2019–20 Township Rollers FC season
| 2019-20 season | |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Walter Kgabung |
| Manager | Frank Nuttall |
| Stadium | Jamali Stadium |
| Mascom Top 8 | Runner up |
| CAF Champions League | Preliminary Round |
| Top goalscorer | League: Lemponye Tshireletso‹br /›Motsholetsi Sikele (9) All: Tumisang Orebonye (12) |
The 2019-20 season is Township Rollers's 16th consecutive season in the top division of Botswana football and the first under Czech coach Tomas Trucha. The club competes in the CAF Champions League, Botswana Premier League, Botswana FA Cup and Mascom Top 8 Cup.
Manager Tomas Trucha resigned on 3 January 2020, with Rollers appointing assistant manager Zachariah Mudzadzi caretaker for the league game against Notwane. On 14 January Scottish gaffer Frank Nuttall was appointed Rollers manager for the remainder of the season. The club lost the Mascom Top 8 final to Orapa United and finished second in the league after it was ended early by the Botswana Football Association.
Pre-season and friendlies[edit]
Rollers opened the 2019-20 campaign with four friendly matches against Absa Premiership sides Supersport United, Bidvest Wits, Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.[1] The first three matches, the first a 3-0 defeat to Supersport United, were played in South Africa, with the last meeting to take place at Rollers' new stadium.[2] Bidvest Wits and Orlando Pirates later cancelled their matches against Rollers, citing contradicting fixtures. Rollers then organised back to back friendlies with National First Division outfit Royal Eagles and ABC Motsepe League club Orbit College on the 16th, followed by a meeting with Tanzanian champions Simba on the 18th. However, Royal Eagles later also cancelled, leading to Rollers playing only a 2-0 victory over Orbit, and the match with Simba was rescheduled. Rollers finished the preseason with a 1-1 draw against Namibian side African Stars
| Date | Opponents | H/A | Result F-A |
Scorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 July 2019 | Supersport United | A | 0-3 | |
| 16 July 2019 | Orbit College | N | 2-0 | Sikele Boy |
| 20 July 2019 | Kaizer Chiefs | H | 2-1 | Vanderwesthuizen 26' Orebonye 68' |
| 26 July 2019 | Simba | N | 1-1 | Serameng 70' |
| 26 July 2019 | NWU | N | 4-2 | Mfila Tselaesele Moalosi |
| 31 July 2019 | Security Systems | H | 3-0 | Mongba Moyana Sikele |
| 03 August 2019 | African Stars | H | 1-1 | Mampori 30' |
Botswana Premier League[edit]
Rollers kicked off their Premier League campaign on 31 August 2019 away to Extension Gunners. A second half goal from Motsholetsi Sikele and two own goals from Gunners defender Thabo Mosielele were enough to see the team clinch all three points despite sustained pressure from Gunners late in the game, with Phenyo Serameng making his Rollers Premier League debut as a 67th minute substitute. A home match against TAFIC scheduled for 18 December was postponed after power outages in Tlokweng resulted in the Jamali Stadium being inadequately lit; it was instead played on 19 February, with goals from Thalefo Molebatsi, Motsholetsi Sikele and Lemponye Tshireletso giving Rollers the victory. The league was paused on 13 March, initially until 10 April, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] On 15 June a decision was reached to terminate the league, with Jwaneng Galaxy crowned champions.[4] Rollers finished in second place, one point behind the champions.
| Date | Opponents | H/A | Result | Scorers | League position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 August 2019 | Extension Gunners | A | 3-2 | Sikele 51' | 4th |
| 14 September 2019 | Orapa United | H | 3-1 | Ditshupo 68', Nato 86', Sikele 90+4' | 1st |
| 17 September 2019 | Molepolole City Stars | H | 0-0 | 2nd | |
| 22 September 2019 | Security Systems | A | 1-2 | Tshireletso 88' | 6th |
| 3 October 2019 | Morupule Wanderers | A | 4-1 | Sikele 37',53' Tshireletso 50' Boy 79' |
4th |
| 19 October 2019 | Gilport Lions | H | 3-1 | Tshireletso 48', Matsabu 66' | 2nd |
| 30 October 2019 | Prisons XI | A | 5-0 | Sikele 18',Boy 45+2', 62' Tshireletso 78', Orebonye (pen.) 88' |
2nd |
| 2 November 2019 | Notwane | H | 2-1 | Tshireletso 16', Boy 57' | 2nd |
| 7 November 2019 | Police XI | A | 0-0 | 2nd | |
| 30 November 2019 | Miscellaneous | H | 3-0 | Orebonye 4', 51', 69' | 2nd |
| 3 December 2019 | Jwaneng Galaxy | H | 3-2 | Nato 48', 90' Ratanang 69' |
2nd |
| 12 December 2019 | BR Highlanders | A | 0-0 | 3rd | |
| 15 December 2019 | Gaborone United | H | 0-3 | 3rd | |
| 21 December 2019 | BDF XI | H | 1-1 | Mathumo 45' | 3rd |
| 12 January 2020 | Notwane | A | 3-1 | Ratanang 22', Orebonye 81', Molebatsi 86' | 4th |
| 19 January 2020 | Police XI | H | 7-0 | Orebonye 5', Matsabu 31', Tshireletso 40', 54' Molebatsi 45+2', Sikele 70', 90+4' |
3rd |
| 2 February 2020 | Gilport Lions | H | 1-2 | Tshireletso 71' | 4th |
| 16 February 2020 | Prisons XI | H | 1-0 | Orebonye 61' | 4th |
| 19 February 2020 | TAFIC | H | 4-1 | Molebatsi 6', 59', Sikele 43', Tshireletso 79' | 1st |
| 1 March 2020 | Gaborone United | A | 1-2 | Sikele 82' | 2nd |
Botswana FA Cup[edit]
As a Premier League team Rollers entered the 2019-20 FA Cup in the round of 32. They were drawn against Division One side Tonota in a draw conducted on 18 January 2020. The match was played on 20 February, with Ofentse Nato opening the scoring on the 3rd minute. Simisani Mathumo doubled the tally on the 32nd minute before Nato was injured and replaced with Ivan Mbowa. After the break Onkarabile Ratanang scored and Edwin Moalosi successfully converted a 60th minute penalty. Bame Morwalela, making his cup debut for Rollers, scored his first goal for the club but Mbowa was sent off later after picking up two yellow cards. A ten-men Rollers clinched victory with an 82nd minute Tlhalefo Molebatsi penalty.[5]
In the round of 16 they were drawn against Botswana First Division North club Sua Flamingos.[6]
| Date | Round | Opponents | H/A | Result | Scorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 February 2020 | Round of 32 | Tonota | A | 6-0 | Nato 3', Mathumo 32', Ratanang 49', Moalosi 60' (pen.), Morwalela 63', Molebatsi 82' (pen.) |
| 14 March 2020 | Round of 16 | Sua Flamingos | A | 1-0 | Orebonye 87' |
Mascom Top 8 Cup[edit]
Having finished the league season on first position, Rollers was paired against eighth-placed Molepolole City Stars for the quarterfinal.[7] It was the first meeting between the two clubs in the competition. Rollers would go on to win the first leg 2-0 through strikes from Lemponye Tshireletso and Segolame Boy before winning the return leg with goals from Mothusi Cooper, Segolame Boy and a Tumisang Orebonye brace to seal a semifinal spot.[8]
In the semifinals Rollers were drawn against BDF in a draw conducted after the second leg on 9 December 2019. It was the 4th time they have met, with the last time coming in 2017-18 when Rollers knocked out BDF XI 3-0 aggregate. Goals from Tumisang Orebonye, Edwin Moalosi and Motsholetsi Sikele would see Rollers through despite a second leg defeat, confirming a final showdown with Orapa United.
The final was played at the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium . It was the second final meeting between the two clubs since the 2016 final. Mbatshi Elias opened the scoring for Orapa on the 33rd minute , with Tumisang Orebonye controversially equalizing four minutes later . The scoreline stayed that way to the end of extra time. Orapa United would win 4-3 on penalties and were crowned champions after Simisani Mathumo and Onkarabile Ratanang failed to convert their spotkicks.
| Date | Round | Opponents | H/A | Result | Scorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 November 2019 | Quarterfinal First leg | Molepolole City Stars | A | 2-0 | Tshireletso 41', Boy 66' |
| 9 December 2019 | Quarterfinal Second leg | Molepolole City Stars | H | 4-0 | Cooper 39', Boy 45', Orebonye 49', 68' |
| 25 January 2020 | Semifinal First leg | BDF XI | H | 3-1 | Orebonye 19' (pen.), Moalosi, Sikele 82' |
| 9 February 2020 | Semifinal second leg | BDF XI | A | 0-1 | |
| 7 March 2020 | Final | Orapa United | N | 1-1 a.e.t.
(3-4 pen.) |
Orebonye 37' |
CAF Champions League[edit]
Preliminary round[edit]
For the preliminary round Rollers was drawn against Tanzanian team Young Africans, whom they eliminated 2-1 on aggregate in the 2018 edition. The first leg was played in Tanzania on the 10th, with Rollers taking an early lead through Phenyo Serameng before conceding a late penalty for a one-all draw.[9] In the return leg on the 23rd a 42nd minute Africans goal was enough to see them advance on a 2-1 aggregate score after Segolame Boy failed to convert a penalty later in the match.
| Date | Round | Opponents | H/A | Result | Scorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 August 2019 | Preliminary First leg |
Young Africans | A | 1-1 | Serameng 7' |
| 23 August 2019 | Preliminary Second leg |
Young Africans | H | 0-1 |
Squad statistics[edit]
| No. | Pos. | Name | League | Botswana FA Cup | Mascom Top 8 Cup | Africa | Total | Discipline | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |  |
| |||
| 1 | GK | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | DF |  Thatayaone Ditlhokwe[lower-alpha 1]
|
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | FW | Bame Morwalela
|
0(2) | 0 | 0(2) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(4) | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | Brian Botsang
|
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | MF | Simisani Mathumo
|
13 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | Onkarabile Ratanang
|
12 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Edwin Moalosi
|
9(4) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0(1) | 0 | 15(5) | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Mooketsi Gareonne
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 9 | FW | Bogosi Mfila
|
1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | Galabgwe Moyana
|
4(4) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6(4) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | Segolame Boy
|
8(2) | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2(1) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 13(3) | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | FW | Lemponye Tshireletso
|
13(2) | 9 | 1(1) | 0 | 3(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 17(4) | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | FW | Kitso Mpuisang
|
0(5) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 1(7) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | Arnold Mampori
|
10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 13(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | MF |  Ivan Mbowa
|
14(1) | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | Tlhalefo Molebatsi
|
14(3) | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3(1) | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 20(5) | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | FW | Tumisang Orebonye
|
10(9) | 7 | 1 | 1 | 4(1) | 4 | 2 | 0 | 17(10) | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | MF |  Kamogelo Matsabu
|
20 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | Ofentse Nato
|
13(2) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 20(2) | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | Jackson Lesole
|
0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | DF | Kaone Vanderwesthuizen
|
4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | Maano Ditshupo
|
9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | GK | Keeagile Kgosipula
|
1(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | Mothusi Cooper
|
12(2) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 21(2) | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | GK | Wagarre Dikago
|
4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2(1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | FW |  Fabien Mongba[lower-alpha 2]
|
0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | FW |  Francis Afriyie
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | Motsholetsi Sikele
|
16(3) | 9 | 1(1) | 0 | 3(2) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 22(6) | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | FW | Boyo Lechaena
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | MF | Kago Monyake
|
4(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4(4) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | MF | Thabang Khuduga
|
0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 50 | MF | Phenyo Serameng
|
3(2) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5(5) | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Statistics accurate as of 31 August 2019.[10]
Transfers[edit]
In[edit]
| Date | Name | Pos. | From | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 July 2019 | Kabelo Dambe
|
GK | Bloemfontein Celtic
|
Undisclosed | |
| Arnold Mampori
|
MF | Mochudi Centre Chiefs
|
Undisclosed | ||
| Mooketsi Gareonne
|
MF | Miscellaneous
|
Undisclosed | ||
| Phenyo Serameng
|
MF | BDF XI
|
Undisclosed | ||
| Kitso Mpuisang
|
FW | Prisons XI
|
Undisclosed | ||
| Tlhalefo Molebatsi
|
MF | Notwane
|
Undisclosed | ||
| Ivan Mbowa
|
MF | Mbarara City
|
Undisclosed | ||
| Fabian Mongba
|
FW |  Young Africans
|
Undisclosed | ||
| 8 January 2020 | Francis Afriyie
|
FW |  Gor Mahia
|
Undisclosed | |
| 7 February 2020 | Bame Morwalela
|
FW | BR Highlanders
|
Undisclosed |
Out[edit]
| Date | Name | Pos. | To | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 July 2019 | Tshepo Motlhabankwe
|
DF | Retired | [11] | |
| Ivan Ntege
|
MF | URA SC
|
Undisclosed | ||
| Oscar Ncenga
|
DF | Released | |||
| Ntesang Simanyana
|
MF | Released | |||
| Thato Bolweleng
|
DF | Released | |||
| Bindu Wansididi Bibo
|
FW | Released | |||
| 7 August 2019 | Percy More
|
DF | Prisons XI
|
Undisclosed | |
| Tiroyaone Maome
|
MF | Prisons XI
|
Undisclosed | ||
| 1 January 2020 | Thatayaone Ditlhokwe
|
DF | Supersport United
|
Undisclosed | |
| 8 January 2020 | Fabian Mongba
|
FW | Deregistered | ||
| 7 February 2020 | Bogosi Mfila
|
FW | Deregistered | ||
Notes[edit]
- ↑ Ditlhowe left for Supersport United midseason and his number passed to new signing Morwalela
- ↑ Mongba was deregistered in January to make way for Afriyie
References[edit]
- ↑ "Botswana's Rollers to take on four Absa Premiership clubs". supersport.com.
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-10-24. Retrieved 2019-07-14. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help)CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link) - ↑ [https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/2020-03-16-botswana-football-association-suspends-their-league/}
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ "Popa Roll on in FA Cup | the Official Township Rollers Football Club Website | Latest News | Transfers | Announcements | Merchandise | Membership".
- ↑ [2]
- ↑ Kanono, Ricardo. "P1.5m for Mascom Top8 Season 9 - The Patriot on Sunday". www.thepatriot.co.bw.
- ↑ "Rollers trounce City Stars for a Top 8 semi-final berth". December 10, 2019.
- ↑ Football, CAF-Confedération Africaine du. "Sibomana late penalty rescues Yanga against Rollers". CAFOnline.com.
- ↑ "2018/19". StretfordEnd.co.uk. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
- ↑ "TheVoiceBW - Botswana's Best selling Newspaper".
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