News

Diamond Zebras & Young Zebras to play friendly matches

Aug 22, 2019

Botswana Junior National Teams under-17 (Diamond Zebras) and the under-20 (Young Zebras) will this weekend of 23rd – 25th August 2019 report to camp. The two teams will play friendly matches against Eswatini U17 & U20 boys on the 24th and 25th August 2019.

The games will be used to give the two teams international match practice. For his part, Diamond Zebras coach Tebogo Mokute says his charges will benefit greatly from the games as they have worked on different approaches and tactics in recent months and he is positive the team understands his vision.

Mokute will lead the Diamond Zebras to the 2019 COSAFA championships to be staged in Malawi from the 25th September to the 5th October 2019. The under-20 team under the tutelage of Raizor Tsatsilebe will find the games important as they have also started preparations for the 2019 COSAFA championship scheduled for December 2019 in Zambia.

Eswatini is expected to arrive in Botswana on Friday evening with games set to be played at Lekidi grounds. On Saturday 1600hrs and 0900hrs kick off on Sunday morning before the boys from the Kingdom of Eswatini return home.

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The Mares Display Heart In Tri Nations Challenge

Botswana’s senior women’s national football team recently concluded their campaign in the prestigious Three Nations Challenge, hosted by South Africa from 28 May to 3 June at the Lucas Moripe Stadium. The series saw spirited competition between Botswana, South Africa, and Zambia, as teams continued their preparations for the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers.

Despite narrowly missing out on the top prize, Botswana showed immense character and growth throughout the tournament. The Mares kicked off their campaign with a thrilling encounter against the African champions South Africa, narrowly going down 3-2 in a tightly contested match. The team bounced back with a determined performance against Zambia, securing a 1-1 draw and demonstrating resilience and tactical discipline.

Final Tournament Results:

South Africa 3–2 Botswana

Botswana 1–1 Zambia

South Africa 2–0 Zambia

South Africa’s Banyana Banyana were ultimately crowned champions of the series, winning both of their matches to take the top spot. The tournament offered valuable game time and experience for all participating nations, and Botswana’s technical team, led by Head Coach Alex Malete, will take key insights from these fixtures as they refine the squad for the crucial WAFCON fianals.