News

Confidence was key

Oct 29, 2017

National Under 17 Women coach Odirile Mathaku says after taking over as head coach, it was key to win the confidence of the technical team first and restore their self believe and when he had that he let it float to the players.

“China” as he is popularly known said the result where always turnable looking at the second half performance in Zambia as the girls had snatched two valuable away goals in that period of the game. Mathaku told the BFA website that wining was not important but giving the players experience.

The girls had to fight and apply themselves which is very important in their football development. The same team crushed to Kenya in the under 20 World Cup Qualifiers and hence they had now some international experience to guide them.

“China” says the game plan of two early goals was key as it kept Zambia under a lot of pressure. They didn’t know whether to attack or defend, they panicked and we scored our third goal soon after halftime.

Botswana won 4-0 on the day and 6-5 on aggregate. The winner between Botswana and South Africa will go to the next round of qualification and move a step closer to qualification of Uruguay 2018.

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Development

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.